Posted on: 01:39 Thu, 01 Sep 2016



Controversy trails the decision of the Nigerian Ports Authority to ban its staff from wearing trousers and miniskirts just barely a month BBOG founder, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman was appointed as the Managing Director.

The Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has banned its staff from wearing tight jeans trousers and mini-skirts/dresses.

This was made public by the NPA’s general manager, Human Resources in a circular.

It reads: “It has been observed that despite the issuance of a couple of circulars vide HQ/GMHR/CON/G.3/128 of 25th August, 2008 and HQ/CR/AD/G.1/3039 of 19th December, 2014 on corporate Dress Code, some employees still indulge in improper dressing to the office.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby reiterated that inappropriate dressings such tight jeans trousers, cut-off trousers, mini-skirts/dresses, tummy and navel shirt transparent/exposing outfits, spaghetti strapped dresses, mismatched clothes, rubber slippers, tattered shoes and rough hairstyles, that are unnecessary distractions would no longer be condoned and will henceforth attract appropriate sanctions.”

The management thereafter urged sectional heads to monitor employees’ dressings with emphasis on decent and formal English wears.

The statement added: “In view of the foregoing and to further maintain a positive corporate image of a reputable organisation, all divisional, departmental and sectional heads, especially heads of personnel are once again enjoined to ensure monitoring of compliance of employees dressings with emphasis on decent, moderate and smart national and formal English wears.”

The new dressing order comes just a month after Hadiza Bala Usman, newly appointed managing director of NPA assumed duties at the headquarters in Lagos. On assumption at the office, Usman told her colleagues to join her to make the ports authority a model agency.

“ We will listen to our customers, importers, exporters and other agencies working in the Ports to improve on our service delivery to the nation, anything less than world-class services is simply not acceptable; attaining such heights is a mission to which I am certain we can all subscribe,” she said.