90% of employers refuse to hire hearing impaired persons – GNAD

A representative from the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Johnson Mahama has disclosed most companies and business outfits in the country refuse to hire persons with hearing impairment.

Although the country’s laws speak against discrimination of persons with disabilities, the reality is far from this.

According to the Persons with Disability Act, 2006 Act 715;

(1) A person shall not discriminate against, exploit or subject a person with a disability to abusive or degrading treatment.

(2) An employer shall not discriminate against a prospective employee or an employee on grounds of disability unless the disability is in respect of the relevant employment.

Johnson Mahama appearing on the Happy Morning Show to discuss the closure of tollbooth and its effects on employees, he told Samuel Eshun, “I don’t work at the tollbooths but some of my friends and colleagues worked there and we all felt bad after the Minister of Roads gave the directive for the closure of tollbooths nationwide.”

The directive he says has dampened the morale of the deaf and caused a lot of them to lose hope as many relied on tollbooths as a source of employment. “The deaf have lost hope because their sure source of employment has been taken away from them.

"The deaf suffer a lot in securing employment and the tollbooths relieved them of that stress. Because of the communication barrier, over 90 percent of employers do not want to employ them.

"Working as tollbooth attendants helped the deaf community and now with tollbooths being scrapped, they are in a tight spot. What will happen to them after spending their savings?”

To him, the directive from the Transport Minister to close tollbooths nationwide did not consider the plight of the deaf and other toll attendants.

Finance Minister of Ghana, Ken Ofori-Atta announced the elimination of toll booths on all public roads and bridges after parliamentary approval of the 2022 budget.

According to him, the inconveniences caused by traffic jams at tolling points also leads to pollution in and around vicinities these toll booths are situated, necessitating the proposal. He added that staff at the tollbooths will be reassigned.

Following this announcement, Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Attah directed that toll collection at the various toll booths across the country must be halted effective Thursday, November 18, 2021, without waiting on parliamentary approval of the budget.