The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama has expressed his condolences to the bereaved following the passing of renowned Ghanaian tech entrepreneur Herman Kojo Chinery-Hesse.

Mr Chinery-Hesse died on Monday, September 16, 2024, reportedly from a cardiac arrest.

Widely regarded as "the Bill Gates of Africa," Chinery-Hesse was a pioneering figure in the tech world, leaving a lasting mark on Ghana's technological development.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1963, he founded theSOFTtribe in 1991, which became Ghana’s oldest and largest software company.

Under his visionary leadership, theSOFTtribe spearheaded innovative solutions that transformed various industries in Ghana, playing a key role in the country’s digital advancement.

A few days before his death, he posted a story on Facebook that was celebrating him after tech giant Google named one of its meeting rooms after him.

In a social media post on X, Mahama paid tribute to Chinery-Hesse, acknowledging his immense contributions to the tech industry.

Mahama stated, “We’ve lost a good man. I’ve lost a friend. This is a great blow to Ghana and our IT fraternity. We must be inspired to produce a million more Herman’s. Rest in peace, Herman.”

We've lost a good man. I've lost a friend.

This is a great blow to Ghana and our IT fraternity. We must be inspired to produce a million more Herman's.

Rest in peace, Herman. pic.twitter.com/k5DWOYS2M3

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) September 18, 2024