A newly issued internal memorandum from the General Services Agency (GSA), dated September 2, 2025, has triggered a wave of criticism from the public, civil society actors, and ordinary Liberians, who view the directive as a misplaced priority in the face of growing socio-economic challenges.
The memo, signed by Boimah A. Sonnfe, Director of Human Resources and endorsed by Hon. Johnson P. Sloan, Deputy Director General for Administration, outlines a list of forbidden dress codes for all employees and visitors entering the GSA compound.
The directive empowers security personnel to enforce a strict dress code, banning the following attire:
Shower slippers (men & women)
Skin-tight clothing
Sleeveless blouses (spaghetti sleeves)
Short skirts and dresses above the knees
Short trousers (men & women)
Muscle shirts (men)
Tracksuits (men & women)
Tight jeans and trousers
Bushy beard and bushy hair (men)
Artificially grown dreaded hair (men)
The move, the GSA says, is aimed at maintaining “decency and professionalism” within the workplace.
However, the public backlash has been swift and biting.
“We Did Not Elect You to Police Fashion”
In a widely shared response circulating on social media and various platforms, a public commentator questioned the motive behind the directive, calling it a “distraction from the real issues affecting Liberians.”
“At a time when our people are crying for jobs, struggling with high cost of living, seeking better healthcare, and praying for quality education, is this what leadership has been reduced to, policing how employees and visitors dress?” the statement reads.
Critics argue that the dress code targets ordinary Liberians and disproportionately affects youth, creatives, and informal workers, many of whom cannot afford to meet these rigid standards.
“This is not governance. This is control,” said Marian Kolleh, a university student in Monrovia. “I expected more policies to address student tuition, electricity, and healthcare, not what kind of trousers I wear.”
Calls for Focus on National Priorities
Human rights advocates say the GSA policy infringes on personal freedoms and may indirectly discriminate against certain cultural expressions, particularly dreadlocks, a hairstyle rooted in Rastafarian and Afrocentric traditions.
With youth unemployment high and inflation eroding purchasing power, many are calling on the GSA and other government agencies to focus their energy on structural reforms, job creation, and public service delivery.
“We need policies that feed our families, create jobs for our youth, empower women, and bring light to our homes, not policies that discriminate against hair and clothing,” the response concludes.
GSA Remains Silent
As of press time, the GSA has not issued an official statement responding to the public reaction.
