----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Abdurrahman Nelson <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 3:12 PM Subject: African Economic Plan Taxes on Trees and Wood Products Taxes are an effective means to impact the overall African economy and the entire African ecological environment. Perhaps the most widely used products to be taxed for these purposes must be trees and all wood products. The purpose of such tax is to discourage the unnecessary use of wood products thereby preserving forested areas. It is also to make wood products such as charcoal more competitive with alternative, clean and renewable sources of fuel and energy such wind, solar and geothermal. The revenue from such taxes must be used to improve already damaged areas of the environment such as the dry lands. Focus must especially be placed on areas along streams and seasonable waterways that can benefit from the water retention effects of tree roots. And, tree planting projects as such those of the Green Belt Movement must also enjoy an additional source of revenue from such taxes. Above all, taxes on trees and wood products are a means by which a Union Government of Africa can prove to be relevant to each and every African in major way. Each person will contribute through taxes and benefit from a better ecological environment. In additional, the revenue will finance the creation of jobs in the collections of taxes and in the environmental improvement projects. Jobs will also be created in alternative, clean and renewable energy. In terms of structure, the tax should be focused on the point of consumption. After all the costs of production and delivery have been included on charcoal, an additional tax cost should be added in order to discourage the consumption of charcoal by making its costs equal to or greater than alternative, clean and renewable sources. And, each tree that is cut down needs to be accounted for and taxed. This way, every consumer and exporter of wood products is held accountable and is subject to a degree of controls and regulations. Therefore, wood products ought to be taxed on at least two levels. There should be a tax on the tree when it is cut down and an additional tax on wood products, especially on charcoal in order to discourage the use of charcoal in favor of alternative sources of energy and fuel. When widely implemented, I think there would be sufficient revenue generated to finance such things as desalination of seawater for use in irrigation. Plus, we need to finance wind turbines and solar panels all across Africa, especially in the desert areas. A tax on trees and wood products would help to finance these and other programs. Aside from wood products, taxes should be considered on the export of all African raw materials, especially on oil and petroleum. Furthermore, we must consider various taxes on those who use African waterways along the coast and through the Suez Canal. These taxes may vary according to the particular products and our needs to regulate their consumption. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Conventions People's Party" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cppghana?hl=en-GB. -- Sending your posting to [email protected] Unsubscribe by sending an email to [email protected] You can also visit http://groups.google.com/group/payco Visit our website at www.mayihlome.wordpress.com
