The Coordinator and Director of New Horizon Foundation of the Blind (NHFB), Eric Kobla Ofori has expressed dissatisfaction about society’s continuous neglect and discrimination against the visually impaired.
He noted that they are physically challenged but not physically unable to compete and assume vital positions in society as abled citizens.
According to him, it’s society’s responsibility to contribute effectively to change the lives of people who are blind to enable them be part of the country’s struggle to accelerate development.
Mr. Kobla Ofori made these comments when he engaged 3news after a short ceremony in Ho to showcase the talents that abound in blind school children of New Horizon Foundation School for the Blind.
The Coordinator and Director also called for the enactment of a law to punish parents and guardians who constantly keep their disabled children away from the public.
He stressed that disability is not inability and such acts must be discouraged with all the seriousness it deserves.
Mr. Kobla Ofori said such a law would not only serve as deterrent, but would encourage parents to understand their rights and responsibilities towards their physically challenged children.
He said many physically challenged children, particularly, the visually impaired go through numerous challenges such as inaccessible and inefficient medical service.
The Coordinator and Director noted that Ghana is one of the developing countries whose children are visually impaired and suffer discrimination by not being supported adequately to realise their dreams of becoming not only breadwinners, but contributors to the country’s socio-economic growth.
In view of these challenging issues of the visually impaired children, New Horizon Foundation of the Blind has initiated a comprehensive empowerment and training programme that provides equal opportunities for children who are totally blind or have low vision to enhance their participation in mainstream school and their communities in general.
He urged the powers that be to at all times treat issues related to the visually impaired in society with the needed speed it deserves to yield positive results for them to realize their importance in the society.
A lecturer at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Dr. Hawa Osman called on institutions and agencies established to cater for the well-being of the physically challenged not to relent in their efforts to advocate and promote equal opportunities for children with visual disability to acquire employable skills training.
She stressed that the visually impaired and other physically challenged should adequately be empowered with the knowledge to enable them fight for their rights in the society.
“They should be made to be an integral part of the society,” she said.
The Dep. Volta Regional Director of Education, Marian Akua Adzroe commended authorities of NHFB for coming up with a training centre for children who are totally blind to ensure that such children are enrolled to acquire formal education in spite of their challenges.
Mad. Akua Adzroe stated that no single human being created by God is hopeless as some physically challenged are being described.
She condemned such negative attitude towards the blind.
The core programme areas of the visually impaired training centre of New Horizon Foundation of the Blind are; rehabilitation, promotion of inclusive education, empowerment of children with visual impairment, digital and braille literacy as well as advocacy.
