Participants at the event
MTN Ghana has marked this year’s Customer Service Week with persons with disabilities, focusing particularly on individuals with hearing and visual impairments in Accra.
The event, held at the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations in Accra, offered participants an opportunity to engage directly with MTN officials and share their challenges with Ghana’s largest telecommunications company.
The day was also used to provide essential services such as SIM number reconnection, MoMo reactivation, and other support services that participants would normally have had to visit MTN offices for.
Some of the key concerns raised included the absence of sign language experts at customer service centres, making it difficult for persons who cannot speak or hear to resolve their issues.
Others mentioned challenges such as dropped calls, wrongful data deductions, SIM blocks, and incorrect MoMo transfers.
Isaac Martey, General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, acknowledged the issues raised and assured participants that steps were being taken to address them.
He revealed that MTN had already employed a staff member proficient in sign language and was working to improve service accessibility for persons with hearing disabilities, estimated at about 470,000 in Ghana.
“The fact that our current services don’t necessarily include them is a concern. So, coming here, we wanted to listen first to their problems and then see how together we can craft solutions to ensure they are fully connected, and not treated as an afterthought,” he said.
Mr. Martey added that MTN intends to lead efforts to ensure the voices of persons with disabilities are reflected in national policies and encouraged other businesses to adopt inclusive practices.
“Going forward, together with our teams, we’ll devise solutions that reach them as well. It won’t happen overnight, but understanding the problems is the first step. The next will be to co-create solutions that address their specific needs,” he said.
National President of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), Matthew Kubachua, in a speech read on his behalf by Programmes Manager Seidu Musah Akugri, commended MTN for dedicating the day to promoting accessibility and inclusion.
“By listening to the experiences of Deaf customers and caring about their challenges, MTN Ghana is taking an important step to make its services accessible and inclusive,” he noted.
He, however, appealed to MTN to establish a dedicated Deaf Customer Service Line staffed by individuals fluent in Ghanaian Sign Language, including deaf persons themselves.
“Such a service will not only enhance digital inclusion for our members but also empower Deaf customers to access support independently and confidently,” he added.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak