By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Preparatory to the commencement of the five day training program on sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired people, USAID Nigeria funded State Accountability, Transparency, and Effectiveness (State2State) Bauchi field office in Collaboration with the Bauchi State Agency for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) have organised a one day seminar for Government MDAs and other non state actors.
In her welcome address, the Executive Secretary of Bauchi State Agency for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Hon. Brisca Joram Aaron described the training as a critical step toward inclusivity and the need to incorporate sign language interpreters into the essential service sectors and all other MDAs of Bauchi State.
Hon. Aaron said that the Agency is excited to midwife the sign language interpreter initiative, which according to her, is another effort of the Agency in carrying along all People With Disabilities in Governance and day to day affairs.
While emphasizing the importance of the training, Hon. Brisca said, “The sign language interpreter initiative is in line with the global best practices of social inclusion in compliance to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act of 2018”.
The ES also appreciated Governor Bala Mohammed for his support to the Agency and the PWDs community across the State.
Rabi Ekele, the State Team Lead (STL) of USAID State2State Bauchi field office, said that the seminar is a prelude to the conduct of an intensive training on sign language interpreters’ in the social service sector of Health, Education, WASH and Governance.
Ekele said the seminar is aimed at sensitizing senior government officials from the State MDAS, CSO and the private sector on the importance of incorporating sign language interpreters in the service delivery sectors for fostering accessibility, and inclusion for the hearing-impaired community in Bauchi.
The STL thanked both the State Partners and Non State actors for the tremendous support the field office is getting from them stressing that, “the milestones achieved by USAID State2State could have been possible without the support of our State partners and other relevant non state actors”.
There goodwill messages from the State Ministries of Budget, Humanitarian Affairs, Office of the HoS and SUBEB.
Sharing the training objectives, State2State GESI Coordinator Chabyada Eli, said the seminar is aimed to trigger investment in sign language interpreters’ within Government and Private Sectors to facilitate healthcare delivery and empower hearing impaired individuals to make informed decisions.
The GESI Coordinator further disclosed that in the remaining days of the actual training, efforts would be geared towards identifying steps to take toward the inclusive needs of PWDs in program planing and implementation.
Our Correspondent reports that the training activity, which kick started with the seminar on Monday 18th November, 2024 at Hazibal Hotel Conference Centre Bauchi will run until Friday 22nd December, 2024.