The Ministry of Finance has confirmed to Joy Business Report that the provisional growth rate for this year is 4.7 percent, reviewed from the initial target of 5.9 percent. Officials however believe that when the GDP growth rate is finalized, it could get closer to the original target. Business activities usually pick up in the last quarter of the year and it is the expectation of the Finance Ministry that the growth for the last quarter will be significant. The growth rate has been low this year because government spent less in order to stabilize the economy. The country’s gross international reserve has however improved significantly from 1.8 months of import cover to 2.4 months as at the end of September. A high reserve cushions the country against imports and also stabilises the local currency. Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana