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Israel has closed the Kerem Shalom crossing with Gaza after Hamas fired rockets from within the strip, the military has said. At least 10 people were injured, some seriously, Israeli media report. The crossing is one of the few routes to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. The attack came as mediators in Egypt held talks to broker a ceasefire - and to release Israeli hostages. Israel has said it will not accept Hamas's demands to end the Gaza war. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said 10 projectiles were fired from an area near the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza, located approximately 3.6km (2.2 miles) from Kerem Shalom. According to the IDF, they were fired from a site some 350m from a civilian shelter and were 'another clear example of the systematic exploitation that the Hamas terror organisation makes of humanitarian facilities and spaces for terror needs, while using the civilian population as a human shield'. Israeli fighter jets then struck the launcher from where they were fired and another militar y structure close by, it said in a statement. The war began after waves of Hamas gunmen stormed across Gaza's border into Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. The group is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by many Western countries. During the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza, more than 34,600 Palestinians have been killed and over 77,900 wounded, according to figures from the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr David Agyemang, Country Representative, Sightsavers, Ghana Country Office, has appealed to the Government to adopt Employment Equity Policy to ensure that the barriers that exclude People With Disabilities (PWDs) were properly addressed. He said there was also the need for the Government to pass the Disability Amendment Bill, which was currently with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, adding that the Ministry should expedite actions for the bill to be presented to Parliament to be passed. Mr Agyemang said this at the closing ceremony of a three-day workshop organised by ABAK Foundation and Sightsavers on Economic Empowerment Project for PWDs in Accra. The project seeks to empower PWDs to gain equal access to employment and improve their access to a labour market that is open, inclusive and accessible, and help make their voices heard by the government and society. Sightsavers is working on the project in collaboration with ABAK Foundation, Inclusion Ghana and the Ghana Federation o f PWDs to support the implementation processes. 'Employers have a role to play, the government and the public have a bigger role to play, and even the media, let us go out there and play our parts properly to ensure that PWDs are able to participate meaningfully in everything and also secure employment,' he said. Mr Agyemang said PWDs had huge challenges, because most people would not want to employ them, adding that some employers would employ them knowing that they would not be able to manage it. He said under the project, they were committed to supporting any employer who wants to build their capacity to be able to employ PWDs, and also teach them how to manage PWDs, among others. 'We are doing all these so that PWDs will also participate in the labour market,' he said. He urged the participants to make good use of the knowledge gained from the workshop, encouraging other PWDs to take part in such workshops. Madam Beatrice Mamoud, Project Officer, Economic Empowerment Project for PWDs, said Sightsave rs and its partners were committed to implementing an employment programme, which sought to promote participation, benefits and contributions of PWDs to the economic development of Ghana. She said PWDs were more capable and willing to work to contribute to development of the nation, hence the need for affirmative actions in that regard. 'There should be something like a quota system that ensures that all potential employers appreciate and include a percentage of their workforce to include PWDs, where this will go a long way to enhance the diverse talent of employers and also increase the economic workforce of Ghana,' she added. Mr Philip Duah, Executive Director, ABAK Foundation, called on the Christian Councils in Ghana and all religious institutions to make sure that the church was a safer and accommodating place for PWDs. He alleged that in some Churches, some pastors normally asked their members to pray to God to make their enemies become crippled and blind, saying that such comments were not acceptab le as it would emotionally affect PWDs, who found themselves in such premises. The Executive Director said in some communities PWDs were not allowed entry into the Chief's palace, creating all forms of discrimination in society, hence the need for traditional leaders to champion inclusive society. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghanaian Women's Association of Georgia (GWAG) is to host Lady Julia Osei Tutu, wife of the Asantehene, as the keynote speaker of its ninth Maternity Fundraising Gala at the Atlanta City Hall Atrium, Atlanta, United States. A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday indicated that the two-day extravaganza, scheduled for June 21-22 this year, is expected to be attended by Hajia Alima Mahama, Ghana's Ambassador to the USA, and other community leaders. The annual gala is a cornerstone event for GWAG, bringing together members of the Ghanaian community, local leaders, and supporters to shine the spotlight on challenges facing access to maternal healthcare in Ghana and efforts being made by the Association for positive impact. Proceeds from the Gala would support GWAG'S ongoing efforts to improve maternity wards in Ghana, including providing essential medical supplies, equipment and training for healthcare professionals. For the past nine years, GWAG had procured and supplied vital medical mater ials to over 40 maternity wards in Ghana through the generosity of numerous sponsors and donors. This year's theme underscores GWAG's commitment to improving maternal and child healthcare in underserved communities, one ward at a time and plans to adopt a number of these wards and provide support on a continual basis. In a recent interview, Madam Agnes Hayfron-Benjamin, past President and Head of the Ward Adoption Task Force, said: 'We are very excited about taking our maternity programme to the next level by adopting, transforming, and equipping more wards to effect positive health outcomes'. A partnership with Rotary Club Accra - Airport, was critical to the effective implementation of the programme as they would play a pivotal role in Monitoring and Evaluation, thereby giving the data to measure impact over time. Madam Bernice Smith, President of GWAG, said through the collective efforts and generosity of supporters, they could make a tangible difference in the lives of women and children in Ghana. 'We are thrilled to host our 9th Annual Gala and shine a spotlight on the important work being done to enhance maternity experiences in Ghana,' she said. Guests could look forward to an evening filled with exquisite Ghanaian cuisine, the latest in Afrobeat, as well as a silent auction with exclusive items and experiences that promise to be an unforgettable evening of celebration, inspiration, and giving back. GWAG is a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering women, promoting cultural awareness and fostering community development since 2007. It has been a leading voice for Ghanaian women in Georgia, advocating social change and supporting initiatives, which created positive impacts socially and globally. Source: Ghana News Agency

Two illustrious sons of Klefe-Demete, who completed a stalled 24-seater water closet toilet project, Saturday handed it over to the chiefs and elders of the area at a brief commissioning ceremony. Mr Samuel Korku Ledo, and Mr Senyo Hosi, both entrepreneurs, shouldered the cost of the construction of the stalled project from its foundation level to finishing. The modern toilet facility has all fittings including toilet receptacles and detergents. Mr Ledo told the Ghana News Agency that the zeal to complete the project stemmed from the concept of 'giving back to the community,' at a cost of about GHC200,000. He said they were motivated to complement government's efforts in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goal Six, that dwells on access to water and sanitation. Mr Ledo disclosed that the initial project, which was started by the community with support from Mr Benjamin Kpodo, the Member of Parliament of Ho Central, was at a standstill for years until Mr Hosi and he (Ledo) decided to complete it as par t of their civic responsibility. Mr Senyo Hosi, who was represented by the Reverend Jeffery Gawugah of the Winners Chapel, Ho, said the duo have become the gladiators of Demete for rising to the challenge. He praised Mr Ledo for his vision, love and leadership skills, which translated into the completion of the modern toilet facility and asked for unity to prevail in the area. Mr Patrick Ocansey Ahumah, the Executive Director of Care Net Ghana, entreated the community members to form a water and sanitation management committee to ensure the effective operationalisation and sustainability of the facility. He said every project came with its challenges but the ability to navigate those challenges would be a positive pointer to the longevity of the facility. Togbe Samuel Lumbert Ledo, the Acting Chief of Demete, commended the two for their generosity and promised to ensure the facility was sustained to benefit generations. He pledged to outlaw open defaecation and make it punishable by a fine to transition residents to accepting the use of the modern water-closet toilet, which he believed would curb the many public health challenges associated with unsanitary situations. He commended Mr Kpodo, the Ho Central MP, who donated some bags of cement for the project earlier on but works came to a halt. He urged citizens of the area to emulate the example of Samuel Ledo and Senyo Hosi to bring other developments closer to the people. The Very Reverend Japhet Ledo, former Moderator of the E. P. Church, Ghana, prayed for unity and peace to prevail, which were pre-requisites for development. Some residents, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, could not hide their joy for the intervention by their benefactors and promised a culture of maintenance to sustain the facility, one of a kind in the enclave. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Majority Caucus in Parliament says there is insufficient evidence to implicate any government official as causing financial loss to the state concerning the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract under the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). The Caucus argued that prosecuting anyone for the SML-GRA deal was unjustified. Speaking to the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament on Friday, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader, dismissed the National Democratic Congress' demands for the prosecution of individuals involved in the contract, describing it as baseless. He said: 'Now we are aware that our friends in the NDC are calling for certain prosecutions. I think that they have not paid attention to the whole issue, and they only want to do politics as usual.' 'Their call is unfounded for the simple reason that there isn't any established proof of any officer of state causing financial loss to the state.' '…Indeed, what they think are payments to SML are not payments borne out of the Government's revenue. If you peruse the agreement, SML is paid out of what it generates, and they would have to pay attention to the details.' 'They are paid 0.05 per cent per litre of revenue that they generate as a result of the system put in place to monitor activities in the petroleum sector.' 'And it is instructive to also note that this company opened its doors to the Mines and Energy Committee to inspect and to see the nature of their operations.' Mr Afenyo-Markin, the New Patriotic Party's Member of Parliament for Effutu, advised the NDC not to destroy Ghanaian businesses. '…Often under the guise of due diligence and ensuring that there is transparency, we often get out of control and destroy Ghanaian companies, whereas foreign ones who operate in certain sectors get a kind of protection that makes them develop their businesses whereas Ghanaian businesses suffer,' he said. The Leader of Government Business said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's decision to conduct a thorough review o f the contract was in the best interests of the public. Source: Ghana News Agency