By Austin Ogwuda
…as critics likened the move to further entrenching colonial-era standards
Mixed feelings have greeted the newly introduced dress code for Civil Servants in Delta State, Nigeria, as a memo that leaked to that effect leaked to the press.
Whilst some social media users hailed the directive as a way of restoring sanity and decency, several others blasted the Delta State government for allowing such to fly.
Many of the critics descended on the Governor, especially the Head of Service (HoS) where the circular emanated as well as the State Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice whose office is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that policies of government are not encumbered and not in tandem with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, being the grand norm upon which any directive, legislation rests upon.
For security reason, The Townhall will try as much as possible to shield the identity of the aggrieved civil servants who condemned the directive.
One of them (names withheld) said “In my office, there is no fan talk more of AC (air-condition). Even if I have a suit I will not wear it to work”.
Another said that “In this age, insisting on suits and ties as the dominant style of dressing reflects a lingering colonial mentality. Why should African societies, particularly Nigeria continue to prioritize Western corporate fashion over their own indigenous attire in official spaces.
“True emancipation would mean elevating African culture and fashion as everyday workplace wear, rather than restricting them to Fridays or special occasions”, he argued.
*Julius Oweh, Publisher of The Pond News in an editorial wrote thus:
“Two days ago, the office of Head of Service issued a memo detailing a new dress code for Delta civil servants. The memo which was signed by Mr M M Awuse, Permanent Secretary in the office of Head of Service detailed how civil servants should appear in office. But the memo was very stingy about wardrobe allowances for civil servants.
“The memo, however, descended into the gutter level of bringing in some despicable irrelevant issues. That female civil servants should not wear eyelashes and coloured hair to office. The men are warned not to keep beards. The wearing of some types of caps to complement traditional attires on Friday are also banned.
“The Pond News frowns at civil servants wearing rags to office. At the same time, it is insensitivity beyond description to make civil servants break banks in order to look good. There is need for compromise taking into consideration the salaries of civil servants.
“The issue that should be frontally addressed by the Head of Service should be workers’ welfare . Galloping inflation has reduced to nothingness the much touted minimum wage. Delta state civil servants need living wage. The state is rich enough to do that but for the greed and larceny of the political elites.
“The present purgatorial peanuts called salaries for civil servants is outlandish and veers towards slave labour. Civil servants fate is even worse when they retire into penury and destitution under the veneer of contributory pension scheme.
“Yet the Head of Service and permanent secretaries retire under the old scheme with their last salaries. It is an insult on the collective sacrifice of civil servants who toil every day to oil the engine of governance. Pencom and Pension funds administrators make the life of retired civil servants a living hell.
“Add the injustice of the State Contributory Health Scheme, the civil servant odyssey is one of regret, pain and gnashing of teeth. Workers groan under the scheme and image of the contributory health scheme as akin to scam.
“These are the issues the Head of Service should address in her reform agenda. It is scandalously nauseating that both the NLC and TUC are dumb about this matter. It has become a tradition in Nigeria for governments at all levels to pursue the shadow and leave the substance. The new dress code for Delta state civil servants belongs to that genre”.
*Credit: The Pond News, PointblanknewsÂ
