The Edo State Government has taken a significant step towards transforming the civil and public service in the state by introducing a dress code policy for public servants. The policy, which is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to enhance service delivery, was announced by the Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, during an interactive session with Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments and Agencies.
According to Dr. Okungbowa, the dress code policy is designed to promote a professional image of public servants and improve public perception of the civil and public service. He emphasized that the policy is an essential part of the state’s transformation program, which aims to drive digitalization and improve service delivery.
“We have tried to make it as organic as possible by involving our people in the formulation and implementation process, which has so far proved successful,” Dr. Okungbowa said. “Our people will get to know about it, own it, drive it, and that’s how we know we have been successful. We felt it was important to be addressed the way we dress to work.”
The policy will be presented to the State Executive Council for approval and will include guidelines on appropriate attire for public servants. Dr. Okungbowa warned that contravening the policy may result in sanctions.
“The whole purpose of the programme was to identify, streamline and have some form of uniform policy in terms of how workers dress to work and to get diverse opinions which would be taken as feedback, before approval by ExCo,” he added.
Dr. Joy Akhigbe, Permanent Secretary of Transformation Office, highlighted the initiatives introduced through the Edo Sector Transformation Enhancement Programme (Edo-STEP), including staff onboarding and continuous training.
Dr. Desmond Agbama, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communication and Orientation, pledged his support for the policy, saying, “I pledge readiness to implement the proposed dress code policy as part of sustaining the success of the transformation process. The policy was vital in improving public perception of civil and public servants in the state.”
By introducing a dress code policy, the Edo State Government aims to promote a culture of professionalism and excellence in the civil and public service, ultimately leading to better service delivery for residents.
