New Era

Auditor general’s office launches braille booklet

- ■ Wilhelmina Iimene

The office of the auditor general has launched a publicatio­n of their first-ever braille informatio­n booklet.

The booklet is aimed at including the visually impaired community through simplifyin­g audit informatio­n, while at the same time improving the relevance of the office of the auditor general to its stakeholde­rs.

According to the current Affirmativ­e Action Plan, the office should employ at least 5% of the total staff with disability.

“Our office achieved a 3.27% with over two-thirds implementa­tion of the legal requiremen­t,” auditor general Junias Kandjeke said at the launch.

The braille booklet promotes full inclusivit­y of visually impaired people.

It contains the basic purpose of the audit report as well as the well-explained process of auditing.

Speaking at the launch, deputy minister of disability affairs Alexia ManombeNcu­be said: “Various career opportunit­ies in the office of the auditor general are included, since we have persons with disabiliti­es who have studied in these fields”.

She added this is in hope for the office of the auditor general to open its doors to welcome graduates with disabiliti­es.

“The more people with disabiliti­es are on the employment list of various institutio­ns, ministries and agencies, the higher our status as a truly inclusive nation that leaves no one behind,” she said.

The booklet, themed: ‘Proving access and opportunit­y for people with disabiliti­es, will bring hope for a better tomorrow and bring along new possibilit­ies for people with visual impairment regarding participat­ion in discussion­s, employment and career opportunit­ies.

The booklet makes it easy for visually impaired people to study the informatio­n themselves­andmakeinf­ormed decisions.

Manombe-Ncube further noted the booklet will allow for access to informatio­n that was previously broadcast for a short period on radio or TV.

“Informatio­n on the radio and TV are very selective, since, mostly, only the highlights are shared, but the brailed copy allows the readers to return to the copy as many times as they wish and to make thorough decisions,” she said.

She called on other institutio­ns, companies, ministries and agencies to come on board to create opportunit­ies for persons with disabiliti­es, and to spearhead initiative­s that will raise their standard of living.

Kandjeke also added his office might not be the first government institutio­n to print their informatio­n booklet into braille, but they take pride in joining those who have come before them in the inclusive process.

“Converting our basic audit informatio­n into Braille and providing access of our audit informatio­n to the visually impaired community is the first step toward sharing our audit work with diverse audiences,” he said.

 ?? Photo: Wilhelmina Iimene ?? Inclusivit­y… Auditor general Junias Kandjeke launches the braille informatio­n booklet with deputy minister of disability affairs Alexia Manombe-Ncube.
Photo: Wilhelmina Iimene Inclusivit­y… Auditor general Junias Kandjeke launches the braille informatio­n booklet with deputy minister of disability affairs Alexia Manombe-Ncube.

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