Delta State Tourism Board Law

1. Citation and commencement. This Law may be cited as the Delta State Tourism Board Law and shall come into force on the 3rd day of September, 2002.

2. Interpretation. In this Law- "Commissioner" means the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism; "Executive Council" means the Delta State Executive Council; "House of Assembly" means the House of Assembly of Delta State of Nigeria; "member" includes the Chairman; "Governor" means the Governor or the Chief Executive of Delta State.

3. Establishment of the State Tourism Board. (1) There is hereby established a body to be known as Delta State Tourism Board (in this Law referred to as "The Tourism Board"). (2) The Tourism Board shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and common seal, with power to sue and be sued in its corporate name and shall have right to acquire and dispose of its property.

4. Composition and tenure. (1) The Tourism Board shall consist of- (a) a part-time Chairman, who shall be a person of proven ability in tourism, appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Commissioner, subject to the approval of the House of Assembly; (b) the General Manager shall be a person of proven ability in arts, culture and tourism, appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Commissioner; (c) one representative each of the Ministry in charge of- (i) Tourism; (ii) Agriculture and Natural Resources; (iii) Lands and Surveys; (iv) Justice. (d) a representative of relevant trade groups in the Tourism Industry. The relevant trade groups shall be Association of Tourism Practitioners, Hoteliers, Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, Restaurant Owners, Souvenir Producers, Amusement Park Operators; (e) a representative of the State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture. (2) The General Manager shall be the Chief Executive of the Tourism Board and shall be responsible for policy implementation and the day to day running of the Tourism Board. (3) Members of the Tourism Board shall hold office for four years and may be eligible for re-appointment. (4) The Tourism Board shall meet quarterly in a year; provided that the General Manager may summon extraordinary meetings as circumstances may demand. (5) A member of the Tourism Board not being an ex officio member shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as the Governor may determine from time to time.

5. Appointment of secretary to the Tourism Board. (1) There shall-be a secretary to the Tourism Board, to be appointed by the Commissioner, subject to the approval of the Governor. (2) The secretary to the Tourism Board shall- (a) keep the records and conduct the correspondence of the Tourism Board; (b) perform such other duties of a secretarial nature as the Tourism Board or the General Manager may from time to time direct.

6. Functions of the Tourism Board. The functions of the Tourism Board shall be- (a) to identify, preserve and promote tourism assets of the State; (b) to manage and maintain State-owned sites and centres of attraction; (c) to promote and market the State as a preferred tourist State; (d) to co-ordinate the activities of the tourism agencies within the State, including local government tourism committees; (e) to register, classify, grade and monitor hotels and other tourism establishments; (f) to charge fees add impose such sanctions as may be prescribed from time to time by the Tourism Board subject to the approval of the Governor; (g) to operate State travel bureau.

7. Establishment of Local Government Tourism Committee. (1) There shall be established in each Local Government Area in the State a committee to be known as the Local Government Tourism Committee. (2) Members of the Local Government Tourism Committee, who shall be part-time, shall be appointed by the Local Government Area Chairman after due consultation with the Board.

8. Composition, functions, funding and meetings of Local Government Tourism Committee. (1) A Local Government Tourism Committee shall consist of- (i) the Chairman of the Local Government Council as Chairman; (ii) the Councillor charged with the responsibility for matters relating to tourism. (2) The Secretary of the Local Government Tourism Committee shall be the most senior officer of the Tourism Board in the Local Government Area. (3) The functions of the Local Government Tourism Committee shall be to- (i) identify and develop potential local tourist attractions; (ii) provide tourism information centres and tourist guides; (iii) establish, preserve and maintain monuments; and (iv) any other function relating to tourism in the Local Government Area. (4) The Local Government Tourism Committee shall be funded by the Board. (5) The allowances of members of the Local Government Tourism Committee shall be fixed by the Board. (6) The Local Government Tourism Committee shall meet quarterly.

9. Appointment of other employees. (1) The Tourism Board shall have power to appoint such other employees of the Tourism Board as the Board may determine. (2) The salaries and allowances of employees shall be favourably comparable with the salaries and allowances obtainable under the Slate Civil Service.

10. Departments. The Tourism Board shall have power to create departments or divisions within the Board, for the effective performance of its functions under this Law.

11. Offences. (1) If any person wilfully obstructs or delays an officer of the Tourism Board in the exercise of any power conferred on the Board under section 6 of, this Law, or fails to comply with the requisition of an officer in pursuance of the said section, or to produce any document or furnish any information which is required by or in pursuance of this Law, to produce or furnish, or wilfully withholds any information as to who is the proprietor of any hotel or allied tourism establishment, that person shall be deemed to have obstructed an officer of the Tourism Board in the exercise of his duties under this Law.

12. Revenue. (1) The revenue sources of the Board shall consist of- (a) grants from State Government; (b) such monies as may be received by the Tourism Board in the course of its operation or in relation to the exercise of its powers under this Law. (2) Subject to the approval or directive of the Commissioner, the Tourism Board may invest its funds and resources.

13. Annual report. The Tourism Board shall submit through the Commissioner not later than 30th June in each year, a report of its activities during the preceding year which, shall include a copy of the audited accounts of the Tourism Board for that year and a copy of the auditor's report thereon, to the Executive Council.

14. Power to give direction. The Commissioner shall have power to give specific or general directive to the Tourism Board on any matter which in his opinion is necessary for the effective performance of the Tourism Board’s functions under this Law.

15. Regulations. The Commissioner may with the approval of the Executive Council, make regulations generally for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of the Law and may in particular, without prejudice to the provisions of this Law, make regulations- (a) providing for the registration by the Tourism Board of any class of hotel and other tourist establishments in the State at which sleeping accommodation is provided by way of trade or business; (b) requiring the classification or grading of hotels, restaurants and night clubs and prescribing standards for their up-keep; (c) prescribing standards to be observed by travel agencies and tourist guides.

16. Repeals. Any Law made before the commencement of this Law, purporting to establish a Tourism Board in the State, is hereby repealed.