The tour was called off on Monday to enable him to mourn with the family of the late Dr Ato Panford, former MP for Shama constituency.

Addressing the enthusiastic TESCON members of the NPP at UMAT Essikado campus, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, said there was hope for Ghana especially the Western Region which abounds in rich natural resources.

Speaking on the theme, “The Railway and Education Sectors as Tools for Economic Transformation,” the former Minister for Railways Development said his government would hinge on the Railways and Education sectors as key indicators among other sectors of the economy for economic transformation.

Mr Joe Ghartey said the railway sector was nothing to write home about before 2017 but had witnessed an unprecedented transformation from 2017 to 2021 under his watch as the sector minister.

The NPP Presidential Aspirant said what runs through his campaign message is “how to turn the economy round to improve upon living conditions of Ghanaians.

He reminded the students that the foundation for development has been laid and was now left with committed people with vision to spearhead national development.

Mr Ghartey said “if we develop the railway sector to link our major cities, there will be massive development”.

According to him, Ghana required visionary leaders to make every sector work and called for attitudinal change among Ghanaians emphasizing that “law and order will permeate in every sector of his government.

On Ministerial appointment, he reiterated his resolve to appoint 60 Ministers which would be based on merit.

Mr Ghartey noted with concern that Ghana had become divisive and stressed the need to reconcile the nation, adding that Ghanaians could not continue to fight themselves in the name of partisan politics and called for unity and hope for the future.

On education, the former Attorney General and Minister for Justice said Universities in the country would be improved to meet international standards.

That he explained, could earn Ghana much foreign exchange that the country would not have to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for loans.