The National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPWD) has restated its commitment to facilitate the introduction of a curriculum on sign language from primary to tertiary institutions in the country.

NCPWD executive secretary James Lalu said this when members of the Association of Sign Language in Nigeria and National Association of the Deaf in Nigeria visited him on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Mr Lalu, the push is to ensure that the deaf community is not left behind in access to communication, social, health, economic, financial and security services.

“Sign language is very important means of communication to the deaf community. It is like every other language. This is part of human diversity. The work that you, sign language interpreters, are doing is very important and you should be proud of what you are doing because you are contributing to a better society, Nigeria and the world,” the NCPWD executive secretary noted.

He added, “Our commitment to improving access to sign language in Nigeria remains unshakable. As an institution, we are working together with the Nigeria Association of the Deaf. As soon as we get the second version of the sign language, we will present it to the Federal Executive Council for approval for recognition of the Nigerian Sign Language as an official language in Nigeria.”

Vice President of the National Association of the Deaf, Haruna Shafe, said sign language interpreters were part of the deaf community.

“Therefore, this day has united us and brought us together. We want to thank NCPWD for the support it has given to the deaf community and the sign language project in Nigeria,” Mr Shafe stated. 

Also speaking, Lisa Weems, ex-president of the National Alliance for Black Interpreters in Washington DC, said she stressed that the deaf could have access to social services, human rights, and health “if sign language is understood by all and sundry.”

Similarly, Timothy Tinat, the National President of the Nigeria National Association of Sign Language Interpreters, noted that “as part of the deaf community, sign language interpreters provide services to bridge the gap of communication” and sought to use the opportunity to create public awareness on the importance of sign language.

(NAN)