New MP 'Shakes' Parliament: Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah’s First-Ever Speech

• Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah, MP for Ahafo Ano South West, delivered his first address in Parliament, with some members laughing at his mispronunciations
• Mahama Ayariga praised Elvis Mensah for his bravery, encouraging other first-time MPs to speak up and not be discouraged by the challenges
• Social media reactions varied, with some mocking his mistakes and others commending his effort

Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah, MP for the Ahafo Ano South West Constituency in the Ashanti Region, got many talking after delivering his first address on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, 18 June 2025.

A video making the rounds on social media shows the first time the Member of Parliament struggling to pronounce English words during an address in the chambers, prompting laughter from some of his colleagues.

Despite the hiccups, the MP maintained a brave face, mixing and jamming words together in an effort to keep the flow of his speech.

Okaikwei Central Constituency MP Patrick Yaw Boamah, for instance, could be seen on Elvis Mensah's left side, covering his face with a sheet of paper, trying not to burst into laughter.

Elvis Mensah contested and won the Ahafo Ano South West seat in the December  7, 2024 general election, on a New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket. He was sworn into office in January 2025.

He serves on the Local Government & Rural Development Committee, the Chieftaincy, Culture & Religious Affairs Committee (as Vice Chair), and the Human Rights Committee in Parliament.

Mahama Ayariga steps in for New MP

While some of the members of Parliament laughed and jested, Mahama Ayariga, Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, stood up and encouraged Elvis Mensah.

Mahama Ayariga applauded Elvis for his bravery and courage. He noted that there are some members in the house who have never addressed Parliament for years; as such, credit should be given to the young legislator who put in solid effort.

Speaking further, he encouraged other new Members to emulate him and never be discouraged from addressing the house.

In his words;

"We want to commend the first-timer for his courage and his bravery. Speaking in this house is not an easy thing. There are many that come here, and for several years, they cannot find their voice on the floor of this house. So I think that we commend him for the effort and encourage him. All other first-timers should put up such statements and be encouraged."

Background of Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament secured his seat as a representative of his constituents after the court called for a vote recount.

Elvis Osei Mensah Dapaah got 16,680 votes to defeat his main contender, Sedik Abubakar of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who received a total of 16,630 votes.

Bagbin advises new MPs

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in January 2025, admonished first-time Members of Parliament (MPs) to seek mentorship from seasoned colleagues.

He stated that this would deepen their understanding of parliamentary operations.

Speaking during an orientation session organised on Saturday, January 11, for the newly elected MPs, the Speaker emphasised the need for first-time MPs to familiarise themselves with the procedural nuances and the weight of responsibilities that come with representing their constituents.

“I encourage you to network with your colleagues, share ideas, and solicit guidance from experienced members of this House to enable you to gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies of parliamentary business. This will help equip and inform you to contribute meaningfully to debates on the floor and at committee meetings of the House.”

Watch the video below.

Reactions to Elvis Mensah's speech in Parliament

YEN.com.gh has collated some reactions from the video shared by targetdeone. Some of the comments are below.

Konztantinoz Szoboszlai commented:

"Let's applaud him, Kennedy Agyapong didn't speak in Parliament or vet any Minister in his 20 years."

kkkofiofficial commented:

"Who else noticed the guy beside him covered his face with the paper and started laughing.😆"

charlesagosu wrote:

"His own people were laughing at him, but the real people and sensible majority in parliament encouraged him. Such is life..."

oscarampofo11 commented:

"Well done Mahama Ayariga for your kind words."

Other MPs who had their maiden speech in parliament this year

The maiden speech by new Members of Parliament in Ghana's Parliament is usually a notable moment in which a new voice expresses both national and constituency concerns for the first time. One such Maiden speech belonged to Hon. Millicent Yeboah Amankwah, Member of Parliament for Sunyani West. The maiden speech took place on January 23, 2025. Her maiden speech focused on the issue of child protection and discipline.

She urged parents and guardians, as well as schools, to intensify supervision of their children at home and in school. She pointed out how classroom numbers are too high and the infrastructure is lacking to steer children away from negative behaviour.

Another noteworthy example is Hon. Kwame Asare Obeng, known popularly as “A Plus”, who was an independent MP for Gomoa Central. He also delivered his first speech on the same day during a debate on ministerial vetting.

Though he was called to speak out of turn, A Plus was using that moment to clarify procedural differences and state how he was an independent MP in Parliament. The speech gathered a lot of attention, garnered mixed responses from the public, with some praising him and others condemning his delivery.

These examples portray how new members of Parliament use their first contributions in Parliament to raise pressing issues, but also establish who they are, the issues that matter to them, and their legislative identity at the start of their political careers.

Lil Win's speech as Ibrahim Traore goes viral

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that Ghanaian entertainer Kwadwo Nkansah, aka Lil Win, shared his first attempt at portraying Captain Ibrahim Traore in his upcoming biopic, The Last African Hero.

The movie will depict the life of Burkina Faso’s president, his leadership, and the military coup in 2022.

While some fans have praised the project, others have expressed concerns about whether Lil Win will capture the full scope of Traore's presidency.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh