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(1) APPLICATION
This regulation made pursuant to the powers conferred upon the Commission by the Nigeria Pilgrim commission Act 2007, shall apply to all persons including but not limited to the Commissioners, staff, intending Pilgrims, Persons on Pilgrimage, and Licensed service providers to the commission and other persons having dealings with the Act.

(2) STATE PILGRIMS BOARD

2:01. The State Pilgrims Board shall act as Agents to the Commission in terms of issuing of forms, collection of dully completed forms, Collection of any fee payable by the would be Pilgrims and Transmission of same to the Commission on or before the 31st of March every year or any other time as may be fixed by the Commission; Provided that all payments as may be required by intending Pilgrims, shall be by a certified bank draft.

(3) TRAVEL AGENCIES

The Commission may from time to time accredit and register desiring qualified traveling Agencies to work with the Commission.

3:01. All travel agencies desiring to work with the Commission shall obtain the required form from the Commission for a non refundable fee to determined by the Commission from time to time.

3:02. Any travel agency desirous of working with the Commission shall amongst other qualifications to be determined by the Commission , be a duly registered Company with the Corporate Affairs Commission with a minimum share capital of N120,000,00.00, accompanied with a certified true copy of the forms for the particulars of the directors and return of allotment of shares, with a physical office address, with a work force of not less than 15 persons with foreign partners in the Jerusalem, internet compliant, and International Air Transport Association Licensed (IATA).

3:03. Upon the receipt of the dully completed registration forms, the Commission shall conduct the necessary searches and investigation and may invite any agency for further discussion. The Commission shall have the exclusive right to register any agency and will not be obligated to explain its preference to the other agencies.

3:04. All travel agencies so registered as in (3) above shall be required to pay a registration fee to be specified by the Commission from time to time.

3:05. The registration of the travel agencies shall be for a period of two years after which the agency is free to reapply.

3: 06. All registered travel agencies with the Commission, are required to:
(a). Design a comprehensive all inclusive Pilgrimage program including but not limited to, sites to be visited.

(b). Obtain permissions and dates for the sites to be visited.
©. To arrange for the best time for and duration of the pilgrimage
(d). To provide accommodation and feed the pilgrims whilst at Jerusalem and other sites whilst the Pilgrimage lasts.
(e). To arrange and ensure that adequate security of lives and property are accorded the pilgrims.
(f). To arrange and provide adequate healthcare facility for the Pilgrims whilst on Pilgrimage and ensure that all necessary vaccines are given to them before leaving Nigeria.
(g). To arrange for adequate insurance cover for the Pilgrims.
(h). To make adequate arrangements for local transportation of the Pilgrims while on Pilgrimage.
(i). To procure visas and arrange and obtain their air tickets from airlines registered with the commission for the purpose of lifting pilgrims from Nigeria and from the State of Israel, and other sites in the world back to Nigeria.

3: 08. The travel agencies are to submit an annual report of their activities, stating amongst other things, the number of pilgrims so lifted to the various sites in the world and catered for and how many returned, how many absconded, the number that ran into conflict with the law whilst on pilgrimage, the hotels used and the type of accommodation provided, the feeding pattern and types, the state of the healthcare provided, the type of insurance cover provided and justifications for all actions taken by the travel agencies, general reactions of the pilgrims on their arrangements. All without prejudice to the right of the Commission to conduct its own investigations and hold opinion on the activities of the travel agencies.

3: 09. The Commission shall after each pilgrimage evaluate the activities of the travel agencies. The Commission reserves the right to deregister any travel agency found to have performed below the Commissions guidelines. This is the Commission will do by refusing to collect the annual registration renewal fee from the travel agency. Provided any travel agency so deregistered shall forfeits the registration fees paid to the Commission and personally defray other expenses incurred outside the Commissions mandate.

(4) Church Group Operators

4.1. The Commission may from time to time accredit and register desiring churches or church groups to run pilgrimages to Holy Sites anywhere in the world.
4.2. Any church or church group desires to organize any such pilgrimage shall obtain the requisite Form from the Commission for a non-refundable fee to be determined by the Commission.
4.3. To be qualified for registration a church or church group must have been statutorily registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and must attach to its application Form the certified true copy of the particulars of Trustees or in the case of the mainline denominations, s formal letter signed the Archbishop or Head of the said denomination as officially designated.
4.4. Upon the receipt of the duly completed application form and the required attachments thereof, the Commission shall conduct the necessary searches and investigations and may invite persons, or group of persons for further discussion and if it is satisfied shall issue such church of church group a Certificate of Registration. The Commission reserves the right to refuse to register any church of church group and shall no be obliged to give reasons for its refusal.
4.5. Any church or church group so registered under subsection 4.0 above shall be required to pay a registration fee to be specifies by the Commission as different from that charged the PCPOs.
4.6. Any church or church group so registered shall renew its registration annually for a fee to be determined by the Commission.
4.7. A registered church or church group shall lose its registration if it discovered tat it has done thins that negates the tenets of the Christian religion and compromises the integrity and image of the Federal republic of Nigeria.
4.8. A church or church group so deregistered as in 4.07 above shall not reapply until four (4) years after or any other time as may be fixed by the Commission.
4.9. All registered churches or church groups so registered shall be assisted by the Commission.
(a). In the procurement of Visas for their intending pilgrims but not before such intending pilgrims have been screened by the Commission.

(b). In obtaining Presidential as well as Central Bank of Nigeria approvals for fund transfer as well as available concessions as the case may be.

©. In facilitating Consular assistance from Nigerian diplomatic Missions in relevant countries as the case may be.

4.10. All registered churches or church groups are required to:
4.11. The church or church group is required to submit an annual report their activities, stating amongst other things:
(a). The number of pilgrims so lifted to the various Christian sites in the world and catered for:
(b). How many returned back to Country.
©. How many absconded
(d). the number of pilgrims that ran into conflict with the law
(e). The hotels and any other accommodation used
(f). The number of death if any.

(5) . AIRLINE REGISTRATION

5.1. The Commission shall from time to accredit and register desiring airlines to work with it for the purpose of air lifting pilgrims to the State of Israel and back to Nigeria

5.2. All airlines desiring to lift pilgrims shall obtain an application form from the commission for a non refundable deposit of N100, 000.00 / N1, 000,000.00

5.3. All dully completed forms shall be returned to the Commission with evidence of incorporation with Corporate Affairs Commission, certified true copies of forms for the particulars of directors and return of allotment of shares. In addition to this, all safety certifications and latest and permits to operate in Nigeria and Jerusalem.

5.4. The Commission shall upon submission of the airlines forms evaluate the application and where necessary consult experts to inspects the planes and to conduct its investigations to verify the information contained on the forms.

5.5. The Commission upon being satisfied with any airline may invite the airline to register with the Commission by completing the necessary forms and paying the required fees.

5.6. The airlines will be required to work with any of the registered travel agencies with the Commission. Provided that the contract with the travel agency and the airline shall not contravene any provision of this regulation.

5.7. The registration with the Commission shall be for a period of two years and the airlines are required to pay annual fee of N1, 000,000.00 to the Commission to renew their registration.

5.8. The commission reserves the right to terminate registration of any airline on group of under performance and delay in lifting pilgrims to and from the Holy Land.

5.9. The airlines are to submit reports of their activities annually to the Commission.

6.0. ELIGIBILITY TO PERFORM PILGRIMAGE

6.1. A person shall be eligible to perform pilgrimage if:
(a) He / She is a member of a Christian congregation in Nigeria and is duly recommended by his/her spiritual leader;
(b) He / She has a means of livelihood;
(c) He / She is at least 30 years of age and must not be an undergraduate;
(d) Every married woman is eligible notwithstanding her age;
(e) He / She provides a reasonable sponsor who shall sign an undertaking that the intending pilgrim will return and write a letter of good standing for the pilgrim;

7.0. SPONSORS

7.1. A sponsor to an intending pilgrim shall be a person of good and unquestionable character, a member of a Christian congregation, and a member of any of the following professions:
(a) A Medical practitioner
(b) A Legal practitioner
(c) A Reverend Gentleman
(d) A Senior civil servant not below grade level 12 / 14

7.2. The sponsors shall be sureties to the person so sponsored and in event of abscondment the sponsor shall be held liable.

NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN PILGRIM COMMISSION ACT 2007

CHAPTER N158
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
SECTION

1. Establishment of the National Christian Pilgrim Commission.
2. Composition of the Commission.
3. Functions of the Commission.
4. Tenure of Office of members of the Commission.
5. Cessation of membership.
6. Pilgrim Savings Scheme.
7. Secretary of the Commission.
8. Other employees of the Commission.
9. Remuneration and tenure of employees.
10. Pensions Act Cap. 346, L.F.N.1990.
11. Financial provisions.
12. Register of pilgrims travel agencies.
13. Delegation of functions.
14. Report of pilgrimage by the Commission
15. Power to defer pilgrimage in certain cases.
16. Set-off.
17. Transitional provisions.
18. Regulations.
19. Repeal.
20. Interpretation.
21. Citation.

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CHAPTER N158
NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN PILGRIM COMMISSION ACT
An Act to re-organise the role of the Federal Government in the co-ordination of Christian pilgrim matters, the consequential repeal of the Nigerian Pilgrims Act, 1989 and to establish a National Pilgrim Commission that will license, regulate, perform oversight and supervisory functions over other bodies and agencies and for related matters.
[2007 No.74.]
[28th May, 2007]
[Commencement]
ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

1. Establishment of the national Christian Pilgrim Commission
(1) There is established a body to be known as "the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission" which shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal.
(2) The Commission may sue and be sued in its corporate name, hold, acquire and dispose of any property, movable or immovable.

2. Composition of the Commission
(1) The Commission shall consist of-
(a) a Chairman ;
(b) six other persons as members;
(c) a Secretary to the Commission;
(d) a representative, each of the following Federal Ministries and bodies
(as an ex-officio member)-
(i) Aviation;
(ii) Central Bank of Nigeria ;
(iii) Foreign Affairs ;
(iv) Health ;
(v) Internal Affairs; and
(vi) Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
(2) The President shall, after due consultation, appoint persons of proven integrity as Chairman and members of the Commission.
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(3) Chairman and 5 members of the Commission to serve on part-time basis.
(4) The Chairman and members of the Commission shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission may from time to time determine.
(5) The supplementary provision contained in the Schedule to this Act may be applied to the proceedings of the Commission and its organs.

3. Functions of the Commission
The Commission shall-
(a) licence, regulate, supervise and perform oversight functions over organizations, associations (corporate or non-corporate) or similar bodies engaged in -
(i) organizing and co-ordinating the movement of persons from Nigeria to Jerusalem and other Holy Sites;
(ii) the provision of accommodation, transportation and other services related to Pilgrimage in Israel; and other Holy Sites.
(b) liaise and coordinate with the appropriate government authorities or organs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Israel on the rules and regulations governing entry into and staying in Israel for the purposes of pilgrimage including all appropriate immigration, passport and related consular services;
(c) coordinate the provision of health, financial, security, customs, immigration and related services to persons proceeding to, or returning from, Israel, after pilgrimage;
(d) ensure the establishment and management of pilgrims camps and related facilities, equipments and such other necessary materials;
(e) establish or set up and maintain libraries of books and other relevant publications as well as cinematograph and other facilities of use to persons interested in or desirous of undertaking a pilgrimage, so however that the library shall open to the public upon and subject to any condition as to the use which the Commission may think fit to impose;
(f) conduct campaign on pilgrim, educative as well as religious, in an States of the Federation, and the Federal Capital Territory;
(g) appoint such number of medical practitioners and medical staff as it thinks fit;
(h) issue guidelines and rules that will ensure that States pilgrims Welfare Agencies provide appropriate welfare services and guides for pilgrims; and
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(i) do such other things that are conducive or incidental to the discharge of the foregoing functions, provided that this subsection shall not be interpreted to be conferring any additional functions on the Commission.

4. Tenure of Office of members of the Commission
(1) The Chairman and members of the Commission shall hold office for a term of five years, renewable for a further and final term of five years.
(2) The Chairman or any member of the Commission may resign his appointment by notice in writing under his hand, addressed to the President and the resignation shall take effect upon acknowledgment by the President.
(3) The Chairman or any members of the Commission may be removed from office by the President, if the President is satisfied that it is not in the interest of the Commission or the public that the member should continue in office.
(4) If the Chairman or any member of the Commission dies, resigns or otherwise vacates his office before the expiration of the term for which he was appointed, the President may appoint another fit and proper person to complete the term.

5. Cessation of membership
The Chairman or any member of the Commission shall cease to hold office if-
(a) he becomes of unsound mind; or
(b) he becomes bankrupt or makes a compromise with his creditors; or
(c) he is convicted of a felony or of any offence involving dishonesty; or
(d) he is guilty of serious misconduct in relation to his duties.

6. Pilgrim Savings Scheme
The Commission may regulate/supervise the establishment of Pilgrim Savings Scheme by those who want to adopt the approach, and the Commission may set up a Board of Trustees, for the savings schemes, comprising of persons of high integrity who are not members of the Commission.

7. Secretary of the Commission
(1) There shall be an Administrative/Accounting Officer of the Commission to be known as the Secretary not below the rank of Director equivalent in the Federal Civil Service.
(2) The person to be appointed Secretary of the Commission shall possess such requisite qualifications as may be determined by the President and shall also be knowledgeable in Christian Religious matters.
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(3) The Secretary shall be the Administrative and Accounting Officer of the Commission and responsible to the Commission for the detailed administration and day-to-day management of the affairs of the Commission.
(4) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Secretary shall hold office on such term as to emoluments and otherwise the National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission may determine.

8. Other employees of the Commission
The Commission may appoint such other persons to be employees of the Commission as the Commission may determine to assist the secretary in the discharge of the functions under this Act.

9. Remuneration and tenure of employees
The Commission shall determine the remuneration and allowances of employees in consultation with National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission.

10. Pensions Act Cap. 346, L.F.N.1990
(1) Service in the Commission shall be approved service for purpose of the Pensions Act and, accordingly, officers and other person employed in the Commission shall in respect of their service in the Commission be entitled to pensions, gratuities and other retirement benefits as are prescribed there under, so that nothing in this Act shall prevent the appointment of a person to any office on terms which preclude the grant of pensions and gratuity in respect of that office.
(2) For the purpose of the application of the provisions of the Pension Act, any power exercisable there under by a Minister or other authority of the Federal Government (not being power to make regulations under section 23 thereof) is hereby vested in and shall be exercised by the Commission and not by any other person or authority.

11. Financial provisions
(1) The funds of the Commission shall consist of-
(a) all such sums as may be charged by the Commission as fees, commission or dues for its services;
(b) all revenue accruing to or vested in the Commission by way of grants-in-aid or otherwise howsoever;
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(c) any other moneys saved by the Commission such as proceeds from the operation of the Pilgrim Savings Scheme, or borrowed, pursuant to the provision of this Act or any other enactment; and
(d) bequests, gifts and donations.
(2) In respect of the revenue of each financial year, the Commission shall, except in the case of the first pilgrimage after commencement of this Act, prepare and submit to the President not later than three months before every pilgrimage an estimate of its expenditure and income during the next succeeding financial year; provided that the Commission shall submit an advance estimate whenever it is requested to do so by the President.
(3) Subject to the prescribed rules, the Commission shall keep proper account and records in relation to its fund in accordance with the Public Accounts Rules and Guidelines issued by the Accountant-General of the Federation.
(4) The Commission shall cause its accounts to be audited not later than six months after the end of each financial year to which the accounts relate and the auditors shall be appointed from a list of Auditors approved by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
(5) The Commission shall open and operate bank accounts, and may take advances, borrow money or undertake financial transaction in accordance with extant financial regulation.

12. Register of pilgrims travel agencies
(1) Persons experienced in the handling of Pilgrimages within the meaning of this Act may apply to the Commission for license to establish pilgrims travel agencies or if established as such by any means before the Commencement of this Act they may apply for registration hereunder; and subject thereto no Pilgrims Travel Agency shall be recognized by the Commission or be entitled to operate as an agency unless and until it is so registered under this Act.
(2) Applications under subsection (1) of this section above for licenses may be made in writing to the Chairman of the Commission for its approval and shall be in such form as the Commission may direct or approve.
(3) Every applicant shall deposit with the Commission, in addition to say payment as a registration fee, an amount to be fixed from time to time by the Commission:
Provided that if the application is refused the amount deposited (but not the registration fee) shall be returned to the applicant.
(4) The Secretary shall prepare, keep and maintain a register of every agency licensed by the Commission under this Act, and register shall be kept in such form
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the as Commission may approved; and when so prepared the Secretary shall thereafter amend it from time to time as Commission may require, and save in respect of the first pilgrimage after the commencement of this Act, not later than six months before the commencement of a pilgrimage the Secretary shall, as directed by the Commission, publish the names and addresses of all agencies licensed for the purposes of the pilgrimage.

13. Delegation of functions
(1) The Commission may in respect of a pilgrimage, delegate any of its function in section 3 of this Act to the Authority charged, with the responsibility for the genera1 care and welfare of pilgrim in any of the State of the Federation and the Federal Capita1 Territory if satisfied that it is in the interest of the pilgrims to do so.
(2) Where the Commission delegates its functions under subsection (1) of this, section it shall be subject to any conditions which the Commission may reasonably impose, and the agency shall be deemed to have applied for and been granted a license under this Act and the provisions as to registration shall have effect accordingly.

14. Report of pilgrimage by the Commission
The Commission shall not later than three months after pilgrimage prepare and submit to the president, a report on the pilgrimage for each year.

15. Power to defer Pilgrimage in certain cases
Where the Commission is satisfied that a person has committed an offence or misconduct specified by the Commission in the regulations made pursuant to section 18 of this Act, the Commission may, disqualify that person from undertaking any pilgrimage organized or supervised by the Commission pursuant to this Act and the disqualification shall have effect for such period as the Commission may specify.

16. Set-off
If a State at any time defaults in the payment the Commission of any amount due from the State to the Commission under this Act, the Commission shall notify the President of the default, and thereafter the Federal Government may set-off the amount in respect of which default is made in or towards the payment of any sum
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due from the Federal Government to such State and the Federal Government shall pay any sum so set off to the Commission.

17. Transitional provisions
The Commission may, pending the licensing of private travel agencies or pilgrims agencies under section 3 (1) of this Act, continue with the existing arrangements for the provision of accommodation and transportation service to pilgrims.

18. Regulations
(1) The Commission may make regulation generally for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act including-
(a) provisions on matters relating to recruitment, deployment, posting, training secondment, discipline and the general welfare of staff;
(b) specifying offences and types of misconduct, whether committed in Nigeria or elsewhere, that would disqualify a person from undertaking any pilgrimage organized or supervised by the Commission;
(c) providing for Forms for use under this Act and for the particulars to be included in applications to the Commission for licenses (including notification of any change) by Agencies and evidence if required to be produced in support;
(d) providing for the fees to be paid to the Commission in respect of the issue or renewal of licenses;
(e) prescribing in respect of every pilgrims travel agency registered under this Act-
(i) a suitable standard of performance which the agency is obliged to maintain in connection with the provision of services to pilgrims;
(ii) the form and nature of compensation to which any person is entitled who is affected by the failure of an Agency in meeting the prescribed standard of performance;
(iii) a procedure by which complaints against an Agency may be dealt with effectively, justly and expeditiously; and
(f) providing for any other matter or thing failing to be prescribed by the Commission in respect of Agencies.
(2) Any regulation prescribing compensation under subsection (1) (e) (ii) of this section shall apply without prejudice to any other remedy that may be available in respect of the act or omission which constitutes the failure described in that subsection.
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(3) Regulations may also provide for the exclusion or removal as the case may be from the register of names of Agencies which fail to pay license fees, or renewal of license fees.
(4) Regulations when made shall be published in the Federal Gazette and in such other manner as the Commission may direct.

19. Repeal
Subject to section 6 of the Interpretation Act, the Nigerian Pilgrims Commission Act is repealed and the assets and liabilities of the Commission established by the said Act are hereby transferred to the Commission established by this Act.

20. Interpretation
In this Act-
"Agency" means a Pilgrims Welfare Board or Agency of any of the States in the Federation, including a Pilgrims Agency licensed under this Act;
"Chairman" or "member" means the persons so appointed by the President pursuant to section 2 (2) of this Act;
"Commission" means the body established under section 1 of this Act;
“corporate" or "corporation" means any association of persons incorporated under the Companies and Allied Matters Act or a body established by an Act of the National Assembly or by law of a House of Assembly of a State;
"function" includes duties;
"non-corporate" means any group or body of persons that is not incorporated;
"person" means without derogating from the definition in the Interpretation Act, any natural person or group of persons;
"President" means the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
"Secretary" means the Administrative and Accounting officer of the Commission; and
"State" means any State Government, or organ of such a State Government, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
IT IS DECLARED in this Act-
(a) any reference to the singular shall include the plural and vice versa; and
(b) any reference to a male person shall include reference to a female person and vice versa.
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21. Citation
This Act may be cited as the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission Act, 2007.
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CHAPTER N158
NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN PILGRIM COMMISSION ACT
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION
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No Subsidiary Legislation
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