Dr. Ceesay Labels Tangara–Conteh Dispute ‘Unfortunate,’ Assures Government Will Address Matter Appropriately

By Fatou Sillah

Gambia’s Minister of Information, Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, has weighed in on the recent public clash between Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Mamadou Tangara and the country’s Ambassador to Turkey, Alkali Conteh, describing the incident as “unfortunate” and affirming that the government is taking the matter seriously.

In an interview with West Coast Radio, Dr. Ceesay assured the public that the administration is aware of the tensions between the two senior diplomats and is committed to addressing the issue appropriately.

“It’s unfortunate; the government has taken note, and the government will take appropriate action,” Ceesay said.

Pressed on what specific measures might be taken, the minister refrained from offering details, emphasizing that decisions regarding disciplinary action fall outside his purview.

“That is not my decision; what I can assure the public is that the government is aware, and the government has taken note, and it’s an unfortunate situation, and the government will take appropriate action as usual,” he said.

He underscored that ultimate responsibility lies with President Adama Barrow. Stating, ”the president, the buck stops with him, so obviously, he will take appropriate action.”

He added that while he has not personally discussed the issue with the president, the administration has mechanisms in place to resolve such disputes internally.

Dr. Ceesay acknowledged that public disagreements between high-level officials are not ideal, but he framed the incident as a symptom of a functioning democratic system.

“Disagreements are healthy in a democracy. It shows that our democracy is working. Yes, it is unfortunate. It should not happen in the open, but it has happened. It shows there is democracy and that now people can speak their mind,” he remarked.

Asked again about potential government action, Dr. Ceesay declined to speculate. “I don’t want to say action, and there’s no action, and then they’ll say, Dr. Ceesay said they’ll take action. What I know is that the government will deal with it in an appropriate manner. That could be anything,” he said.

In conclusion, the Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the dispute with due diligence: “So I think the right word is that the government will deal with it in an appropriate manner. I’m not saying, I don’t know whether action will be taken or not, but we will deal with it in an appropriate manner,” he said.