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‘Assign sign language interpreters to assist persons with speech, hearing impairment at police stations’

Persons with speech and hearing impairment in the Ashaiman Municipality have called on the municipal authorities to assign official sign language interpreters to communicate effectively with them at police stations.

They contended that anytime any of them was at the police station, either under arrest or to lodge a complaint, it virtually becomes impossible to communicate, and become disadvantaged in the process.

At a Town Hall meeting organised by the Ashiaman Municipal Assembly here on Monday, the Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) took turns to appeal to the Municipal Chief Executive, Albert Boakye Okyere, to intervene and address their concerns.

Their challenges were sometimes misinterpreted to create the impression that they take advantage of their circumstance not to cooperate with the police.

“Aside this, it also dilutes the true meaning of what we say especially statements written on our behalf, which later turn out to have legal implications,” the PWDs stated.

In response, the MCE promised to convey their sentiments to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr James Oppong-Boanuh for redress.

 He said he shared in their pains, and so would push for measures to be put in place to address the situation to ensure that they had the means to communicate properly at the police stations to guarantee justice.

The Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive said everyone deserved the right to understand and to be understood,  which was why an initiative had been taken by the assembly to make sign interpreters available at various ASHMA programmes to ensure they equally benefit.

FROM DZIFA TETTEH, ASHAIMAN

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