The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on a New National Minimum Wage Bill has agreed with the House of Representatives which recommended ₦30,000 as the accepted minimum wage for workers in Nigeria as against the ₦27,000 proposed by the Federal Government.

During the meeting on Wednesday, the committee which is chaired by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Francis Alimikhena also recommended that a fine of ₦75,000 be paid by any erring civil servant who absconds from work.

The lawmakers were said to have complained bitterly about local government workers who abscond from their duty posts only to wait and come to the secretariat whenever salaries were ready.

 Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki had on Monday this week, announced that Senator Alimikhena should head the Committee in an acting capacity following the absence of its Chairman, Senator Olusola Adeyeye.

The Senate had on January 24 this year set up an eight- member Ad Hoc Committee to look into the New Minimum Wage bill after scaling second reading, just as the bill was referred to the constituted ad-hoc committee.