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The United States Embassy in Accra has explained that its advisory to American citizens in Ghana to avoid large crowds and large political gatherings in the coming days is no prediction of violence in the country. The Embassy says it gave the warning to American citizens owing to anticipated increase in political tensions as the August 29 date set by the Supreme Court to announce the verdict approaches. A Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy, Sara A. Stryker told Joy FM on Monday it is a normal counsel the Embassy issues to inform Americans in Ghana to guide their activities and to maintain a high level of vigilance whenever there is need to arm them with that counsel. There has been widespread apprehension and hushed condemnation in sections of the media of the statement issued by the Embassy on Monday which predicted �potential increase in political tensions and the possibility of isolated violence associated with the anticipated August 29 announcement of the Ghanaian Supreme Court�s decision on the legal challenge to Ghana�s election results�. Sara Stryker told Joy FM �� we are not predicting that there is going to be specific incidents but what we are advising Americans to do is just to review their own security posture. And we want to make sure that they stay in touch, as they have through the Embassy, and we want to make sure that they are particularly cognisance of their security posture during the time of the announcement�. She said ahead of the December 2012 elections the Embassy issued a similar counsel to American citizens, insisting that �We don�t see this as anything new that we are communicating to American citizens other than the importance of the date that is coming up, namely August 29.� Deputy Minister for Information and Media Relations, Felix Ofosu-Kwakye acknowledged notice of the warning titled �Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Potential Reaction to the Supreme Court�s Election Decision� but said government did not deem it out of place and that the US government reserved the right to take steps beneficial to its citizens. �Nonetheless, let me hasten to add that government does not anticipate that there will be trouble after the ruling of the Supreme Court. Indeed on many occasions government and the security agencies have indicated their readiness to guarantee the safety of all the citizens of Ghana and everybody living within the boundaries of Ghana. The Security agencies have held a number of drills and exercises, they have indicated that they are in a state of readiness to snuff out any threats. They have also warned any potential trouble makers sternly that they are in a position to deal with them so we do not believe that the statement issued by the US Embassy gives cause for any alarm,� he said.