By Lamin Sanyang
Mr. NJogou Saer Bah, Permanent Secretary, Head of the Diplomatic Service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told The Fatu Network that Ambassadors At Large are not on the payroll of the government.
“Ambassadors At Large don’t have salaries. They don’t have offices. It is the prerogative of the President to appoint them,” Mr. Njogou Saer Bah, Permanent Secretary at The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Speaking to this medium at his office at Marina Parade in Banjul, PS Bah explained that the role of Ambassadors at Large amongst others is to serve as emissaries of the president to countries where there are no Embassies.
“They are under the disposal and authority of the President,” he pointed out.
He added: “It is only the President who deals with them.”
The Permanent Secretary and Head of Diplomatic Service disclosed that the Ambassadors At Large were issued with Diplomatic Passports and that their travel expenses will be paid by the president.
PS Bah was questioned about the appointment of certain people as full-time ambassadors but he only confirmed the appointment of Mr. Ebrima alias Ebou Manneh and Mr. Alasana Jammeh as ambassadors to Washington DC and Morocco respectively. He denied the appointment of Mr. Femi Peters as The Gambian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He added that the people appointment were issued with appointment letters.
He explained the procedures taken to formalized the appointment of ambassadors before going on foreign missions, saying it starts with sending credentials of the person to that particular country for scrutiny before acceptance. He said the credentials of Ebou Manneh and Alasana Jammeh were sent to the respective countries, they are waiting for acceptance.
Meanwhile, PS Bah rejected the rumors of recalling six ambassadors. He said there was no name listed to be recalled but added that as a new government they will recall some ambassadors sooner than later. It is only the president who will give those instructions.
