Ghana gets debt-relief terms

GHANA has received a draft term sheet on debt relief from its official creditors that is sufficient for the International Monetary Fund to disburse US$600 million to the West African nation, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said.

The term sheet from the Paris Club Group of creditors and new ones including China comes after months of negotiations to restructure as much as US$5,4 billion of bilateral debt. The IMF board is expected to meet in a week.

“We are reviewing the draft term sheet,” Ofori-Atta said in an interview in the capital, Accra on Thursday, declining to provide details in the draft accord. We need to scrutinize every clause but in terms of the broad framework, all parties are in agreement so it’s kind of a clearance to the fund. I’m hoping by tomorrow we would have finished so that whatever needs to be done will be sent to the fund,” he said.

Ghana’s bonds due January 2026 rose for a fifth day to touch the highest levels since October 16 at 43,41 cents on the dollar. Debt due in October 2030 almost advanced for a fifth day, the longest streak in two months. The price of the bond was quoted at 63 cents to the dollar, the highest since January 1 on a closing basis.

Ghana started restructuring most of its public debt in December 2022 to qualify for a US$3 billion extended credit facility program with the IMF. The country received an upfront disbursement of US$600 million when it agreed to the program in May. Further releases, however, depend on meeting debt-rework and other performance targets.

Discussions between Ghana and the official creditor committee are ongoing, and good progress is being made, IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozack told reporters Thursday, adding that the fund is confident an agreement can be reached soon.