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Queen of Peace Catholic Church to train 60 sign language interpreters
● Rev. Fr. Rene
As Chinese disability civil rights activist, Chen Guangcheng, aptly said, “How a society treats its disabled is the true measure of a civilisation.”
This means that, it is important for able-bodied persons or institutions to make conscious efforts in supporting people living with disabilities in order to alleviate their sufferings.
One of such institutions living up to this expectation is the Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Madina in the Greater Accra Region.
The church is on a mission to train 60 sign language interpreters this year.
This was to ensure that the hearing-impaired who attended mass at the church and nearby parishes were not deprived of understanding what was said at mass and social gatherings.
The exercise estimated to cost about GHc80, 000, is opened to volunteers who are ready to help demonstrate skillfully the teachings of Christ or the word of God to the understanding of the unhearing.
Rev. Fr Rene Yao (SMA), the founder and first Chaplain of St. Martin’s Deaf Ministry, said the Catholic Church needed the support of all well-meaning citizens to make the initiative a reality.
He was optimistic the introduction of the sign language during mass and other social gatherings would motivate people living with disabilities to attend the church and get the best out of the time spent there.
The training programme, he said, would be done in batches to rope in more volunteers to deepen the church’s evangelisation, programmes.
Rev Fr. Rene said: “As Catholics, the volunteers would be empowered to share the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus.
The training would offer the (volunteers) the responsibility to bring the message of Jesus to everybody.
“The church is looking at the possibility of sustaining the training in subsequent years, so that those trained could be useful to people in the society.”
He said funds being raised for the project would also be used to rehabilitate a room for physiotherapy for the Hope for Life Foundation, which is an organisation that handles disabled issues.
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.
