The first visually impaired employee in Ghana’s energy sector, who serves as a Senior Community Relations Officer and Disability Liaison Officer at Ghana Gas, Isaac Ansah, has stated that he can be considered one of the fastest typists people can rely on.

Despite his condition, Mr. Ansah types and uses a laptop just as fast as his colleagues who are not visually impaired, which gives him confidence in his typing abilities.

He revealed this while giving a live demonstration on Changes on Joy Prime, showing how he works as a visually impaired person in such a crucial sector and debunking claims that people in similar situations are unable to type quickly while working.

 “So you’re able to work at the same speed as everyone would because I’m sure someone could be thinking you may be slower at it” The host, Lois Shola Adeyemi asked after Mr. Ansah’s demonstration.

 “Not at all! I’m one of the fastest typists you can ever rely on,” he responded optimistically.

Isaac Ansah’s story

Isaac Ansah was born in Koforidua in the Eastern Region but hails from Mamfe Akuapem and Akyem Asiakwa in the Eastern Region of Ghana. He started his education at the Barnce Memorial Institute at Accra New Town and moved to the Kings and Queens International School, then at Pig Farm.

Isaac says “I was not born blind. I could see the world and I was able to do things for myself but my life underwent a transition. I was performing very well in school then the tragedy popped up in 1993 when I was about eight years old.”

The condition first affected his right eye before gradually spreading to the left eye, eventually causing him to lose his sight completely. Adjusting to a new way of life was challenging for him, as the experience was unpleasant and left him wishing he could regain his sight.

At the end of his Primary Six education, he was due to enter Junior High School Form One. However, based on recommendations from medical experts, his parents were advised to enroll him at the Akropong School for the Blind in Akropong-Akuapem.

At the school, he had to begin from Basic Five and continued his education in the new environment until he completed Junior High School in 2006 after sitting for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). That same year, he gained admission to Okuapemman Senior High School, where he studied General Arts.

In 2010, he gained admission to the University of Education, Winneba, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies Education and Political Science. After completing his university education, Isaac undertook his one-year national service at the Akropong School for the Blind, his alma mater.

He began his education at the Akropong School for the Blind, continued to Okuapemman Senior High School for his secondary education, and later graduated from the University of Education, Winneba, with a BA in Social Studies Education and Political Science.

While pursuing his tertiary education, Isaac was appointed Deputy Public Relations Officer by the Students’ Representative Council of the University of Education, Winneba. He also served as the Assistant Music Director of the university’s Mass Choir in 2012, becoming the first visually impaired person to occupy that position.

For Isaac, his appointment reaffirmed the belief that “disability is indeed not inability.” It boosted his confidence and gave him platforms to showcase his potential and talent. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Management and Administration from the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS).

In 2017, Isaac collaborated with Tech Era, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to advocate for persons with disabilities through several television and radio platforms, with a strong focus on empowering blind people to become technologically savvy and independent.

Isaac’s active presence on social media caught the attention of Drum Pipo Music, a renowned music and movie production label in South Africa. The team was impressed by his ability to use social media effectively and offered him the opportunity to demonstrate how blind people use smartphones in a video that has since gone viral.

After graduating from university in 2014, Mr. Isaac Ansah spent five years searching for employment. His struggle was not due to a lack of skills or qualifications, but because organisations were unwilling to employ him simply because he was visually impaired.

After five years of searching, the Bachelor of Arts graduate in Social Studies and Political Science was finally employed in December 2020 as the first visually impaired person to work for Ghana National Gas Company, the nation’s premier midstream gas company.

Now in his late 30s, Mr. Ansah works as a Senior Community Relations Officer in the Community Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility Division and also serves as the Disability Liaison Officer of the Ghana National Gas Company.

Over the past five years, he has not only adapted to his working environment but has also effectively utilised his analytical and communication skills as tools for community engagement, helping to advance Ghana Gas’s vision and mission.

His passion for exploring and discovering innovative ways of doing things, especially in relation to his work and assigned duties, has earned him the admiration of both his supervisors and colleagues.