Over The Cedis Note With Tactile In Germany

The Government of Ghana has won a lot admiration from the world blind community by the giant step it toke to made the local currency the cedis notes readable to persons with visual impairment.

The Ghanaian currency the cedis notes, is the only currency in Africa that has tactile, readable as braille for the blind.

Ghana was greatly acknowledged at the just ended World Braille Congress at Leipzig, German organized by the German Central Library for Blind from the 27th to 30th September at the Leipzig University.

In a presentation at the congress, the President of the Network of Journalists for the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa (PROMOAFRICA) Amoah Kwaku Addi mentioned that the Government of Ghana since year 2000 has added a tactile to all the cedis note to make it readable to persons with visual impairment in Ghana. This according to Mr. Addi who is also the Managing Editor of the Evening Tribune newspaper, said though not properly made to meet the highest standard; it is commendable step take by the Government of Ghana to help integrate persons with disabilities into society. Mr. Addi also mentioned that, the disabled community in Ghana has seen a lot policies and programs being formulated and implemented by the Government of Ghana.

He said though Government is trying its best to better the lots of persons with disabilities, there is the need to do more and this, he said, lies with the civil society and the disabled community in Ghana and all over the world to keep reminding the Government of its responsibilities towards persons with disabilities.

The moderator of the section Prof. Kahn Gleis, commended the Government and people of Ghana of Ghana for the initiative and also the blind community and all the donors in whose effort and contribution it was made possible. Prof. Kahn recommended that in future congresses, Governments in developing countries that has demonstrated the will to alleviate the plights of the visually impaired persons in their respective countries should be invited for participation and awarded accordingly.

Mr. Addi who attended the congress together with the President of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled Mr. Yaw Ofori Debrah, as the guest of the German Central Library will deliver other papers in Hannover, Bielefeld and Frankfurt.