Mixed reactions as Ben Ayade plans dress code for civil servants

Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade

The announcement made by Cross River State Government on the plan to introduce new dress code for civil servants in the state has been greeted with mixed reactions.

State head of service Geralldine Akpet had made the announcement on behalf of Governor Ben Ayade.

But some civil servants in the state told the News Agency of Nigeria that the government should channel its energies toward addressing challenges in the system rather than introduce new dress code for them, others felt otherwise.

A civil servant Mike Ogar welcomed the move but added it was not workers’ need for now.

“There is no welfare package for workers for a long time now, there are issues of unpaid arrears and promotions without benefit.

“Our working environment is not conducive, just take a look at our offices and you will understand what I am saying.

“Those are the areas the state government should focus on for effective service delivery,’’ he said.

To Emmanuel Etuk, dress code simply implies that someone needs to dress moderately.

“There is nothing wrong in asking people to dress well while coming to work because dressing properly, apart from making you look responsible, uplifts the image of the service,’’ he said.

Angela Bassey noted that the dress code was expedient because workers now show up at work in casual wears.

Meanwhile, the head of service had said the new dress code was to stem indecent dressing and check truancy among workers in the state civil service.

She also said the state government would introduce close circuit television cameras to monitor civil servants.