Who The Cap Fits !!! Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko- Blazing The Trail In Maritime Industry * Tanko : The Man, His Style And Rising Profile

Who The Cap Fits !!!
Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko- Blazing The Trail In Maritime Industry

* Tanko : The Man, His Style And Rising Profile

* Report by Udeme Clement :

He is a personality with many accolades. A man, who through dint of hard work and tenacity is blazing the trail in Nigerian maritime industry.

He is a reputation entrepreneur known for exceptional skills in creating wealth in the economy, especially in maritime sector where he is a guru.

Through his ingenuity and inventiveness, he has taken many Nigerian youths off the labour market by giving them employment, as well as a legitimate means of livelihood in the society.

His name is, Alhaji (Fwdr) Ibrahim Tanko, the current National Coordinator, 100 % Compliance Team, inuagurated by National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), to monitor operations in the ports.

Alhaji Tanko is a reputable Freight Forwarder in Nigeria and a personality whose opinion matters on issues of national interest.  He believes in honesty, transparency and a life of integrity.

To him, every Nigerian deserves a better life and equal opportunity to excel in his chosen career. A patriotic and most detribalised Nigerian, who also believes in oneness and unity of purpose in moving the nation’s economy forward. To him, the maritime sector remains highly strategic to national development.

His enormous contributions to the growth of maritime trade earned him numerous accolades, even as he is currently the Afrikanwatch Maritime Personality of the year, 2020, just to mention but a few.

More so, as the Vice Chairman of NAGAFF Western Zone, he has successfully ensured that the statutory role of monthly remittance to the national headquarters is done within the stipulated time, even as he has empowered members across different chapters.

Today, the success story of freight forwarding sub-sector will be incomplete without the contributions of (Fwdr) Ibrahim Tanko.

Thus, peeping at his background, our Correspondent gathered that Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko was born on April 10, 1968 in Kontangora Local Government Area of Niger State.

He started his early education in kontangura and successfully completed his Secondary education with excellent grades in West African School Examination, (WAEC) in 1985.

That was not all. His quest for knowledge moved him to further his education. So he proceeded to Kaduna State, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Management, 1988.

Desirous to serve his fatherland, Alhaji Tanko joined the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) in 1988 but worked for a short period before beginning his career in the Maritime Sector, as a Freight Forwarder.

Since then, his ambition in life took a new dimension. Young Tanko worked under Mr. Kamba, a one-time former President of ANCLA between 1989 -1993. While with Kamba, his leadership acumen was identified.

He later left Kamba to start his own clearing and forwarding business and got his license to operate as a full time clearing agent in 1996.

He thereafter left ANCLA that year and joined National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).
It is worthy of note to acknowledge that Alhaji Tanko was the pioneer member of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) in 1996 where he also made indelible mark.

The modern history of NCMDLCA will be incomplete without the robust productive efforts made by Tanko to reposition the agency. It is to his credit that he fought against unilateral withdrawal of Customs licenses and saw to the restoration of such licenses.

He fought Task-Force to a standstill, to reduce numerous government agencies in the ports. It is equally to his credit that NCMDLCA created chapters like KLT, Tincan, APAPA, Port & Terminal Multiservices LTD, (PTML) and Lilypond. Under Mr Lucky Amlwera.

It is on record that Tanko was one of the line pillars and prime movers of NCMDLCA, lending support in every possible way and encouraging members at every turn.

About two years ago, Tanko’s desire to contest as Apapa chapter Chairman of NAGAFF was a clear testimony of his perseverance and tenacity to uphold what is seen to be just and fair.

His remarkable achievements include a bold step in demanding to stop excessive and unjustified demurrage by shipping companies and terminal operators.

It is also to his credit that he convened all stakeholder’s forum to discuss the issue of persistent traffic gridlock. His immense contributions to the growth of maritime industry and humanity in Nigeria gave rise to his honour – National Gold Merit Excellence and Performance Award. Tanko is happily married and blessed with children.

Above all, Alhaji Tanko has a likeable personality. He is handsome, has a good height, a nice frame.
White is his best colour. He appreciates family values.  He enjoys local delicacies. His philosophy of leadership is clearly defined in the expression of self-determination, fairness, love and sincerity.  He remains a role model to many freight forwarders and members of his zone.