Emmanuel kehinde,Ilorin
The Association of Sign language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN) Kwara Chapter on Saturday in Ilorin has advocated employment of sign language interpreters in every ministry in Kwara.
Mr Akeem Ibrahim, the Chairman, ASLIN-Kwara stated this during an interview with newsmen, on the sidelines of the International day for Interpreters.
He lamented that some members face problem of unemployment as sign language interpreters.
Every September 23rd is commemorated yearly and celebrated for all Interpreters in the world and their contribution to the society.
The UN General Assembly has proclaimed importance of that day in order to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realisation of the human rights of people who are Deaf.
Ibrahim lamented that those with hearing impairment face challenges of poor communication especially in ministries, hospitals and courts, adding that this leads them to be mis-diagnosed on their health or misunderstood wrongly at court.
“Every agency and ministry should have Interpreters or they should learn sign language because deaf people also make use of those places especially,” he observed.
According to him, the association faces myriad of challenges unemployment, lack of motivation from the society.
He added that the deaf community needs the necessary support to be self sufficient and contribute their quota to the nation.
“The society need to totally accept them and understand thier concern without being pitied and labelled in unsavory manner,” he said.
Ibrahim advocated for inclusiveness, adding that people with disabilities especially the deaf need to be included as part and parcel of the citizenry.
“This means deaf people who are educated and literate, should be employed in all ministries.
“Some of them are artisan who have one or two things doing but they needed grants and support from Individuals and government,” he said.
He emphasised on the importance of interpreters to the state and the nation as a whole, adding that interpreting assignment is so fascinating.
The ASLIN chairman described the profession as a method utilising different compositions of finger spelling, lip reading, body gesture and demonsting to communicate fragmented coded coded message to clients.
“This assignment is not an easy task but Sign Language Interpreters see this as a practice which is joyfully accepted and performed,” he said.
