Christ the King Church in Accra has banned backpacks as part of new directives to beef up security at the church.

The move comes in the wake of the threat of terrorism that has gripped the country.

The new security measures are also part of a national campaign to scale up their internal security at churches.

The new security directive published in Sunday’s edition of the church’s Weekly Bulletin explained that the recent terror attacks on Catholic churches in Burkina Faso and Sri Lanka have necessitated the new security measure.

The church also told parishioners to quickly raise an alarm about suspicious persons or actions.

Speaking to Joy News’ Maxwell Agbaba, parish priest Rev Father Andrew Campbell said a taxi station sited close to the church will be relocated – also as part of the new security measures.

He added that a ban had been placed on the use of motorcycles at the church premises.

The newly published security directive indicated policemen would be deployed during Sunday church services and other occasions.

Related: Campaign for better security at churches begins amid terror scare

Maxwell reported seeing several policemen both inside and outside the main church auditorium when he visited the popular Catholic church situated in close proximity to the Jubilee House (the seat of the Presidency).

It is also the church the Chief Imam, Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, visited to celebrated his 100 years birthday.

The directive also includes a complete audit of the security system will be done. There will also be the recruitment and training of new ushers,” the bulletin said.

“Sitting positions of ushers will be changed as soon as possible as no usher shall be allowed to be seated at the rear end of the church,” the bulletin read.

One member of the church who spoke to Joy News said Ghanaians are not security conscious which can pose a threat to their lives.

“We have taken our security for granted saying ‘oh Ghana is a peaceful country’. You’ll be in church, a bomb goes off and you are gone for life so it is very scary,” she added.

Terror scare Ghana is tightening security at its border as a Salafi-Jihadist group based in Burkina Faso strike in that country. The militants on February 15, 2019, killed four Burkinabe customs officers at a checkpoint at Nohao near the Ghana border and burnt three vehicles. They also killed a Spanish priest. The Africa Center for Security and Intelligence Studies (ACSIS) has issued a security alert that the group has been moving in and out of Ghana through the border with Burkina Faso over the past four months.