Speaking at a press briefing held at the Independent Media Commission Conference Room on Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown on Thursday 25th January 2018, Tamba Sheku Lamin, who is an experienced information technology specialist  of Lamtech, disclosed that  the website is very important, useful, educative and informative to the general public.

According to him, the website is rich and free of cost, as it   enhances sanity and further brings the electorates closer to tangible issues that would ensure transparent, safe, secured and fair elections. He said the Open Election Data Platform is an advanced website that collates, aggregates and make public very vital information in the upcoming 2018 general elections on its website.

Tamba Sheku Lamin informed media practitioners that Lamtech has twelve thousand, four hundred and five volunteers, who will be posted to various polling stations in the length and breadth of the country to collate and aggregate elections results, monitor the process and report to Lamtech for publication on the Open Election Data Platform Website.

In achieving this all important dream, Tamba Sheku Lamin further disclosed that he has established strong links with various bodies that will be monitoring the March 7 general elections, such as Ministry of Information and Communication, Right to Access Information Commission, the National Electoral Commission, National Elections Watch, Independent Media Commission (IMC), Sierra Leone Research  Education Network and Sierra Leone Open Data Collection.

He maintained that the Open Election Data Platform Website will engage in compiling comprehensive data from the recently concluded boundary delimitation, election violence, polling and registration centres, electoral news and   candidate profiles among others.

The Website, he said, will enable the public to easily access accurate information of candidates vying for presidential position, parliamentary seats,  ward councilors and all activities pertaining to  March 7 2018 general elections.

Tamba Sheku Lamin intimated that the Website is highly protected against cyber criminals and other deceitful internet users, and that the Open Election Data Platform is very useful and important for members of both the electronic and print media, as it enhances the capacity and ability of particularly media practitioners and Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad  to accessing  accurate and dependable information  on the Open Election Data Platform.

In his contribution, the Chairman and Commissioner of the Independent Media Commission,  Ambassador Allieu Kanu said he was very delighted and gratified for the setting up of such a modern Website by Lamtech to monitor, collate, aggregate and to further provide current, vital and credible information on all activities leading before, during and after March 7 general elections.

He noted that in recent times, misguided internet users have been frivolously  and flippantly misusing the social media by posting very dangerous materials, but with the introduction of such a modern and credible Website, the public will now have easy access to vital and credible data, such as the biography of  Sierra Leoneans vying for parliamentary seats, Ward Councilors, village Headmen including election activities unlike before.

He urged officials of the Lamtech to replicate such press conference for his commission’s monitors, as they will also served as peace monitors throughout  Saturday March 7 parliamentary and presidential elections