Disability rights advocates have criticised United Bank for Africa (UBA) over the use of terms including “deaf and dumb” and “illiterate” in an indemnity document issued in connection with ATM card services for Deaf customers.
The concerns followed a social media post by disability rights advocate Abubakar Umar Gbs, who questioned whether the language used in the document reflected an assumption that Deaf people are unable to read, write or independently operate banking services.
Umar said his concern was not about the indemnity form itself, but the language used in the document, particularly the portions describing Deaf customers as “deaf and dumb” and referring to the customer as an “illiterate person.”
“Are they assuming that all deaf citizens are ‘illiterate’?” Umar asked. “Are they assuming that we all can’t read and write in English?”
He argued that such wording creates additional difficulties for Deaf people seeking to access banking services on an equal basis with other customers.
Umar described the treatment as “unwanted” and “unreasonable,” adding that he would consider deactivating his UBA accounts if the bank did not review the language and approach contained in the document.
Umar confirms he personally received the form
Speaking to Inclusive News Network (INN) in an interview following his post, Umar confirmed that the document circulating online was not merely a document he had seen on social media, but one that he personally obtained from the bank.
“Yes. I got the form myself. The form is still with me,” he said.
Umar explained that he obtained the form after he went to renew his ATM card ahead of a trip to the United Kingdom.
“I am going to the UK, so I thought of renewing my card,” he said.
However, Umar also clarified that the experience may not be the same for every Deaf customer, noting that while some Deaf people had reportedly received the form, others said they were not asked to complete it.
“They issue the card to many deaf here. Some deaf individuals said they didn’t issue the form to them. So, not everyone,” he told INN.
His clarification suggests that the use of the indemnity form may not be applied uniformly to all Deaf customers, although the circumstances under which it is required remain unclear.
Another advocate joins criticism
Another disability rights advocate, Aminu Abdullahi Yarima, also criticised the terminology used in the document, describing several aspects of it as problematic.
Yarima particularly objected to the word “dumb,” describing it as “pejorative and inaccurate,” while questioning why a person’s inability to speak should have any bearing on their ability to operate an ATM card.
“And why would muteness prohibit someone from managing an ATM card when the entire transaction does not involve speaking?” Yarima asked.
He further rejected the assumption that people with hearing or speech impairments are unable to independently manage ATM cards, stressing that such an assumption is false.
Yarima called for the matter to be taken beyond social media, suggesting that it should also be reported to a legal advocacy group, alongside other relevant stakeholders.
INN checks UBA branch in Lagos
Meanwhile, a check by Inclusive News Network at a UBA branch in Lagos confirmed that the bank does have a similar indemnity form covering customers who are visually impaired, blind or Deaf in connection with ATM card issuance.
However, the version sighted by INN at the bank did not contain the same language highlighted in the document circulating on social media, particularly the expressions “deaf and dumb” and “illiterate.”
The distinction is significant because the concerns raised by the advocates are primarily about the language, terminology and assumptions contained in the particular document, rather than simply the existence of an indemnity form.
The document obtained by Umar and circulated on social media uses “deaf and dumb” in its title and body, while one of its clauses refers to the customer as an “illiterate person” and links the perceived risk of ATM and PIN compromise to that description.
Disability advocates argue that Deafness does not equate to illiteracy and that a person’s hearing or speech status should not be used as a basis for assuming that they cannot read, write, understand banking instructions or independently use an ATM.
They are therefore calling on financial institutions to review their forms and customer-service practices to ensure that the language used is respectful, accurate, non-discriminatory and consistent with contemporary disability rights principles.
The advocates’ concerns also raise broader questions about whether banking institutions are adequately training their staff and reviewing legacy documents to eliminate terminology that may be considered outdated, derogatory or inconsistent with the dignity and equal treatment of persons with disabilities.
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