Sir John who was the former General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) died at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, after an illness.
He recently lost a sister of his and went to perform the one-week rites at his hometown, Wonoo in the Ashanti Region.
When he returned to Accra, he fell ill and was admitted to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
He reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and died on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.
Mahama expressed his condolences to Sir John's family, saying "My condolences to the family of our dear brother, and my good friend, Sir John, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie."
In a post on Facebook Thursday, July 2, 2020, he described Sir John as "a feisty and intriguing politician who brought lots of interesting moments to our political discourse."
He said, "I also extend my condolences to the entire New Patriotic Party (NPP) family for this painful loss."