ACCRA, Aug 9 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will help Ghana address its current economic challenges, following a formal request by the West African country to open talks for a support program, a director of the fund said late on Friday.

Deputy Managing director Min Zhu said an IMF team will be in Ghana early next month to open talks.

Ghanaian President John Mahama last week ordered his government to open talks with the IMF as part of efforts to fix the economy and stabilise the cedi currency which has slumped around 40 percent this year.

(Reporting by Kwasi Kpodo; Editing by David Gregorio)