ACCRA - Substantial discussions with Ghana's external bondholders are due to start in a few weeks, the country's Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta told parliament on Thursday.

Embattled Ghana has to restructure its debt as a condition to secure a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.

Around 85% of eligible bondholders registered for a long-delayed domestic debt exchange programme this week after several extensions and revisions to the terms.

The government must now restructure its external debts before getting IMF executive board approval for the rescue package.

(Reporting by Bate Felix; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by James Macharia Chege)