Pams Travel, a leading travel and tourism company in Nigeria, on Sunday unveiled the refurbished toilet facilities at the iconic Bowers Tower in Ibadan. The company, which started 20 years ago, began with ticketing and later ventured into outbound and domestic tourism.
Mrs. Olanike Mustapha, the Chief Executive Officer of PAMs Travel, said the development is part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities and contributions to the tourism sector in Oyo State. Olanike, who is also celebrating her 20th year in the tourism industry, said the decision to facelift the iconic tower with toilet facilities is not just to relieve the burden on the government but to make the iconic place a better place.
“I have visited some of the tourism sites in Oyo State, and when I came here, I was not comfortable with the situation. So, I decided to contribute my own quota to the advancement of the place rather than complaining,” she said. “When I told the commissioner that I would fix the toilet, I didn’t know it would cost this much, but since I was determined to do it, I didn’t allow anything to dampen my morale. I summoned all the workers, and thank God it has been fixed.”
She commended Hon. Wasiu Olatubosun, the state commissioner for culture and tourism, and his team for their transformative role in the tourism sector in the state and called for more support.
In his remarks, the honorable commissioner for culture and tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, commended Pams Travel for its contributions to the tourism sector with a legacy project, which, according to him, will inspire other people. Olatubosun used the opportunity to announce some of the upcoming tourism events and called on stakeholders to support the state government in promoting and developing domestic tourism in the state.
Pastor Mustapha, the CEO of MTS Geoservice Limited and husband of the PAMS Travel and Tours founder, said his company would also renovate the building at the tourism site and facilitate the renovation of a building from the Nigeria Institution of Surveyors.
“She was here last year and saw the situation of this place. During the World Tourism Day, we brought stakeholders together, and the chairman of the day, Engineer Dotun Sanusi, promised to champion the cause of renovating the place. He started with the toilets and renovated the spiral staircase in the tower, and she followed suit with the renovation of the toilet facilities. I told her, and she did it within two days,” he said.
Dr. Oriyomi Hamzat, chairman of Agidigbo FM, Mr. Saheed Adepoju, Oguntoye Twins of Twins Tourism, and others in their goodwill messages commended PAMS Travel for its contribution and called on stakeholders to emulate PAMS Travel by contributing to the development of tourism sites and making Oyo State a preferred tourism destination.
The event was attended by staff of the Oyo State Tourism Board, General Manager Cultural Centre Mrs. Olayinka Adedeji, Director of Tourism Mrs. Adejoke Agboola, Director of Visual Arts Kolade Salami, Director of Admin and Supply Tourism Board Mr. Adeyemo Adesope, Alhaja Sade Salam, Director of Performing Arts Oloye Ayoade Ifayemi, Director of Culture Alhaja Titilayo Lawal, and others.
