Africawatch Editor Snubs Parliament

Africawatch Magazine Editor, Mr Steve Mallory, appears to be on collision course with the nation’s Parliament after he served notice he would not honour any invitation to appear before the Privileges Committee of the House. On October 26, the Speaker of Parliament Joyce Bamford Addo directed the Privileges Committee to invite Mr. Mallory for questioning after his magazine recently released Political Performance Index, which scored some MPs ‘F’ and rattled feathers in the House. The Speaker, in referring the issue to the Privileges Committee, said the publication injured the reputation of Parliament and amounted to contempt of the House. She therefore asked that Mr Mallory be summoned before the Committee for questioning. But, weeks after that directive, Mr Steve Mallory has called the bluff of the House. In the latest edition of the monthly publication, Mr Mallory served notice that he has no intention of honouring any invitation to appear before the House. He also threatened to drag the House before the Supreme Court if any attempt is made to charge him for contempt of the House. His position has caused anger among MPs, some of whom consider the latest publication as contemptuous and disrespectful. In an interview with CitiNews, Hon Alfred Agbeshie, MP for Ashaiman, who earlier raised the issue on the floor of Parliament, said the House would consider what line of action to take if Mr Mallory refuses to appear. While not sure if Mr Mallory had been officially served with the invitation to appear before the House, the Ashaiman MP was confident some action would be taken if the Africawatch Editor ignores the summons. “He must appear. Parliament should be taken seriously because this is one of the arms of the government. “There are many ways we can bring him. He can’t be outside the country and do something against the laws of the Ghana and say he is outside the country. We shall invoke the necessary laws.” Sources close to the Privileges Committee have however told Citi News the Committee is yet to officially invite Mr Mallory for questioning.