The Albino Foundation Public Notice
By Oliver Nweke
A coalition of persons with disabilities have called for the speedy implementation of sign language on all TV stations as recommended by the Federal government.
The coalition led by Jake Epelle, President of the Albinism Foundation said that it was high time TV stations begin to stretch by employing sign language interpreters to disseminate information to the deaf community who are hard of hearing.
Speaking during a press conference, Epelle noted that the deaf have lost out on information for a very long time.
He commended the DG of NTA for already implementing thd policy and called on other media outlet to follow suit.
He advised them to make contact with NNAD and ASLIN who he stressed had the resources to provide them with a sign language interpreter.
His words, “you have the responsibility to pay such person, but whatever we can do to support that process, we will”.
“ we will see how we can mainstream the salaries of some sign language interpreters, so that they can be paid when sent to these media houses to work, so that those media houses will not say to us, we can’t pay them”.
“ we will see what kind of support we will provide to ensure that becomes a reality”.
Earlier the National President of the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf, Dr Chidi Topaz Olujie explained the United Nations (UN) describes Sign Language as full-fledged natural languages, structurally distinct from the spoken languages.
According to him the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recognizes and promotes the use of Sign Language.
He commended the Albino Foundation, Disability Right Funds, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, the Association of Sign language interpreters, among others who always engage sign language interpreters in their programmes.
He urged the Nigerian Television Authority to extend the Interpreting screen to cover all programmes and not only the NTA News @7pm.
Olujie pointed out that the deaf community has observed with dismay, the non inclusion of the Deaf Association and Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria in the processes of hiring the interpreters, which has brought some unacceptable signs and caused misinformation and incomplete information in the dissemination of news”.
“This need to be avoided, we the owner of the Language needs to be fully involved in the processes. It is about our language and we cannot keep quite leaving others deciding things for us. Nothing for us without us fully involved”.
He pleaded for implementation of 5% employment quota reserved for Persons with Disability in all TV stations.
“ the Sign Language interpreter can also be Deaf persons and not necessarily only hearing Interpreters.
“There are evidences that NTA has hired Deaf Interpreters in the past, this need to be re-visited and extent to all public and private television stations in Nigeria.
He said that the implementation will greatly have huge impacts in the lives of the over 9millions Deaf persons and in the promotion of Sign Language .
Mr Timothy Tinat, President ASLIN, revealed that sign language interpreter have made sacrifices on national; levels.
He said, “for example during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the interpreters signed for free, although they are sometimes given transport fare, such action does not guarantee sustainability.
He said the policy must be sustained which can only be achieved if institutions take responsible for it.
“ we want to call on the Commission for Persons with Disabilities and NBC to have some kind of collaboration or synergy, to make sure that there is an enforcement of this law.
Other members of the NNAD present include: Haruna Mohammed, National Vice President, Engr. Timithy Adejumo, National Secretary General, and Ebuka Okeke, National Youth Leader
