Kwara state chapter of Association for the Deaf, Monday, advocated for the compulsory use of sign language for communication by public office holders.
They also called on the state government to appoint an interpreter as a special Adviser on people living with disability to carry them along in the activities of government.
These were parts of the demand of the association to mark this year’s International week.
Addressing a press conference in Ilorin held at Nigerian Union of Journalist Secretariat, G.R.A Ilorin, the association chairman ,Kwara State, Mr. Ridwan Hassan, said that most of them are being cheated when it comes to the issue of expressing themselves to defend their rights.
He said the only way the the society can demonstrate that they run an inclusive is for public office holders to learn how to use sign language and adopt such in public communication.
He called on government to run an all inclusive government that will accommodate the interest of the deaf and other people living with disability in the state.
While reading the text of his prepared speech, Mr Ridwan said “the deaf can also work in other government parastatals and agencies like the normal people”
Added that most of them attended the same educational institutions with other members of the society and knowledgeable in various field of endeavours with certificate to backed it up.
He explained further that there are experts like; medical Doctors, Lecturers, and Engineers among their members.
Hassan however,appealed to the state government to include the deaf and people living with disability in its empowerment programme.
