ACCRA, June 21 (Reuters) – Ghana’s economy grew 4.2% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023, compared with a growth rate of 3.7% in the previous quarter, the country’s statistics agency said on Wednesday.

Gold-, oil- and cocoa-producing Ghana is battling its worst economic crisis in a generation brought on by spiralling public debt.

Street protests over rising prices last year pushed authorities to seek help from the International Monetary Fund, which agreed to provide a $3 billion support package conditional on debt restructuring.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said on Sunday that the West African nation aimed to reach a restructuring agreement with bilateral creditors in the coming weeks.

(Reporting by Christian Akorlie and Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Alexander Winning)