Civil society group Election Watch Ghana has raised concerns about security during elections in Ghana with particular reference to the recent violence that characterised the Ablekuma North rerun and Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election in 2019.

The group is, therefore, calling for enhanced security measures before, during and after the Akwatia by-elections to forestall any trouble.

Though the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) is yet to come out with a date for the by-election in Akwatia, political parties have begun preparations following the death of Member of Parliament (MP) Ernest Kumi.

Election Watch Ghana says given the chaos that marred the Ablekuma North rerun, most recently, thorough search must be conducted on all individuals entering polling stations "to prevent the presence of weapons or other prohibited items".

The group also wants a restriction on public figures who are not accredited as observers or party agents from entering polling stations "to prevent interference with the electoral process".

It is also calling on the elections management body and the law-enforcement agency to "take measures to prevent electoral malpractices, including bribery of electoral officers".

"The incidents mentioned above highlight the need for enhanced security measures to prevent violence and ensure the integrity of the electoral process," it said, urging the EC to enforce its guidelines and regulations that provide a framework for ensuring the security and transparency of elections.

"We are concerned that the potential misappropriation of military high-grade ammunition poses a significant threat to the security and stability of the country.

"We therefore strongly urge the Ghana Police Service to take all necessary measures to prevent the presence of such ammunition at polling stations and ensure that security personnel deployed to polling stations are properly trained and equipped."