According to persons close to Ghana's financial and technical assistance discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), negotiations are nearing a close.

The Washington-based lender's  mission in Ghana is expected to hold discussions with government  and other stakeholders from  Monday November 6 to November 19 -- by which time Ghana would have secured a Fund programme .  

One the areas the mission would still be trying to get some answers, according to sources, is how the country's statistical services measures key economic activities in the country.

The Fund wants clarity on figures put out by the Ghana Statistical Service in order to get a better picture of the country's debt portfolio and the amount of taxes it is able to collect with respect to the size of the economy.

Sources say the Fund still has some concerns with Ghana's GDP figures, for instance. 

 The IMF mission is also expected to get some clarity on  government's spending plans for the next three years as well as policies the Bretton-Wood institution expects government to take in 2015 as part of moves to strengthen Ghana's economy.

Joy Business gathers some of these policies will include tax hikes , layoffs in the public sector to check the rising deficit  and removal of some  agencies from government's financial support.

The 2015 budget will also be open for discussions.

The IMF will also engage Parliament, private businesses, civil society groups and  Labour Unions before the November 19 deadline.

Some analysts see the meeting with the Labour Unions as an attempt by IMF to get their support  for any Fund programme Ghana will secure in order to forestall industrial unrests and public protests.

The IMF is likely  to accept Ghana's request for  a three-year programme -- meaning a possible Fund programme for Ghana will begin in 2015 and end in 2017.