ACCRA, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Ghana's finance ministry has extended to Aug. 18 the deadline to exchange $809.9 million in domestic U.S. dollar bonds for a package of new bonds with lower rates and longer maturities, it said on Monday.
The previous deadline was Aug. 4.
Ghana's cocoa board (COCOBOD) launched a debt securities exchange programme on the terms of the government's exchange memorandum, under which it is inviting holders of its short-term debt securities to voluntarily offer to exchange their cocoa bills for longer-term debt securities.
The finance ministry said in a statement that the decision to extend the deadline had been taken in response to feedback received from eligible holders.
The exchanges are part of efforts by Ghana to restructure both domestic and external debt - a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout secured in May. (Reporting by Christian Akorlie; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Chris Reese and Mark Potter)
