The Cross River State Government has banned mini-skirts and other forms of indecent dressing among female civil servants, as part of efforts to enforce professionalism and discipline within the state workforce.
It stated that the decision to instil dress codes for the female staff was taken to ensure the staff adhered strictly to the approved standards.
The directive was issued through Circular No. 3/2025, signed by the Head of Service, Bassey Okon, who expressed concern over what the government described as a growing disregard for acceptable dress standards among public officers.
According to the circular, several female staff now report to work wearing mini-skirts, gowns above knee level, transparent outfits, tight-fitting clothes, off-shoulder blouses, sleeveless tops, and other attire deemed inappropriate for official engagements.
The government warned that such styles undermine the decorum expected in the civil service.
The circular also listed jeans, T-shirts, shorts, three-quarter trousers, and bathroom slippers as unacceptable clothing items for all staff categories, stressing that officers must wear formal and decent outfits from Monday to Friday.
“Public officers must maintain decorum and present themselves in a manner that reflects the dignity of the Cross River State Civil Service,” the Head of Service stated.
Beyond dressing, the government also raised alarm over the increasing use of questionable academic and traditional titles by officers. It condemned the rising trend of civil servants parading unearned doctorate degrees (PhDs) and including chieftaincy, community, or faith-based titles in official communications.
“Only officers who have academically earned accredited and verifiable doctoral degrees may use the title ‘Dr’ or ‘PhD’ in official documents. Unauthorised use of academic or traditional titles will attract disciplinary measures,” the circular warned.
Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and Heads of Departments have been instructed to enforce strict compliance with the new rules, with sanctions to be applied to defaulters in accordance with the Public Service Rules.
The government urged civil servants to maintain professional standards and uphold the image of the state’s public service.
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