a newimportance to that power project: that [] the power was to be used for [the] comprehensive economicdevelopment of the country.Together, Nkrumah and theBritish organised a travelling exhibition to promote the Volta scheme. Largemodels of the dam were built and taken round the country amidst a blaze ofpublicity. The exhibition was seen by nearly two million people.Sqn. Ldr. Clem Sowu, Assistant ExhibitionOfficer 1956 Some [..?..] [?folks'] reaction was first: Is it possible? Is it feasible... for this to happen in their lifetime? AndI remember in one particular place there was one farmer who came in in a [..?..] and did ask the question: what can he do to help, for theproject to come on?The exhibition was a greatsuccess and it helped Nkrumah consolidate his political position. But to hisopponents, whom he had defeated in the election, the Volta scheme was adangerous trap; just another cycle in the British exploitation of theircountry.Kwesi Lamptey, Opposition MP 19511957 The British people were anxious to give us thatscheme. And one thing I must make clear: the scheme was not started by Nkrumah. The Volta Riverscheme was an old scheme of [the] British government.In 1953, Nkrumah's opponentsforced a debate in parliament. In a series of speeches, the opposition MPswarned that Nkrumah was in danger of enslaving the country to powerfulinterests far beyond his control.[Kwesi Lamptey] [Reading] "As a long-term scheme, it is excellent. But as a short-termscheme, Mr Speaker, it is suicidal. "I would say that no nation which is beginningto free itself puts its neck in a position in which it will find itself in economic slavery."At the end of the debate,Nkrumah defended his partnership with the British. "We are not boys",he said. "Do you think I am a fool to enter into a project like thisblindly? I am not so damn silly as toput my nose into something that is detrimental to this country."[From TV footage of] Anthony Eden, Prime Minister [of Britain 19551957, making an address regarding the Suez Crisis] "All my life, I've been a man of peace; workingfor peace, striving for peace, negotiating for peace. But I'mutterly convinced that the action we have taken is right."In 1956, Britain [with France andIsrael] invaded Egypt toprevent President Nasser from nationalising the Suez Canal. Within ten days, theUnited Nations and the Americans forced them to retreat.Suez symbolised the declineof Britain's colonial power. Vast projects like the Volta dam began to lookincreasingly insecure in the face of confident new African leaders andBritain was running out of money. That same year, Nkrumah's government was told[that] the Volta schemewas shelved.Kojo Botsio, Minister of Education 195157 Nkrumah had received the news that the Britishgovernment intended to pull out of the scheme because the finances were getting too large for themto handle.James Moxon, public relations spokesman, Volta River Project He was almost in despair. Everybody was depressed;all of those of us who were involved in it in any way were shattered when we discovered that theproject was on the shelf. And Nkrumah... But Nkrumah was not a man to allow depression to takeover.On 6 March 1957, the GoldCoast became Ghana: