He explained that due to lack of funds the Commission could not hire sign language interpreters to help bridge the communication barrier between the hearing impaired and the Commission in the course of administering justice.

Mr Ziem stated this at a capacity building workshop organised by the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) with funding from the United States based Disability Right Fund to help the hearing impaired to demand their rights.

He noted that the Commission was mandated by law to safeguard and promote the fundamental human rights of every Ghanaian including Persons with Disabilities, but added that its efforts were thwarted due to lack of funds.

He therefore appealed to the government to provide adequate financial support to the Commission as well as disability-friendly structures and institutions in the society to help avert the tendency of denying a particular segment of the public of justice.

Mr Ziem also called for effective collaboration of the GNAD and special institutions such as CHRAJ, NCCE and the media to ensure that the rights and welfare of the hearing impaired were fully protected.

He also implored GNAD to design a long term collaborative approach with the CHRAJ & other state institutions to help amplify the human rights needs of the hearing impaired people. Mr. James Sambian, the Executive Director of GNAD, said the hearing impaired persons were bedeviled with challenges such as access to education, health care services, access to justice and employment among others.

He therefore entreated the appropriate stakeholders to advocate for the implementation of laws concerning the hearing impaired and train sign language interpreters to help mitigate those challenges.    He appealed to the government to create employment opportunities for the PWDs to help them contribute meaningfully to national development.