Joseph Korto
Encyclopedia
Joseph Korto is a Liberia
n politician and member of the Liberia Equal Rights Party
(LERP). Joseph Korto was born in Barpa, Nimba County
, Liberia
. He is currently serving as Minister of Education in Liberia and as the Executive Director
of the Liberian Development Foundation
.
Running as the LERP (Liberian Equal Rights Party) presidential candidate in the 11 October 2005 elections
, Korto placed seventh out of 22 candidates, receiving 3.3% of the vote nationally and the highest vote total in Nimba County, his home base.
After his loss in the first round of voting, he endorsed candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the second round vote against football star George Weah
. Johnson-Sirleaf went on to win the election, with Korto's support being viewed as an important factor in her victory, and she appointed Korto to her cabinet as Minister of Education shortly after she took office in January 2006. Korto has a background as a teacher and holds a doctorate in education from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n politician and member of the Liberia Equal Rights Party
Liberia Equal Rights Party
The Liberia Equal Rights Party is a political party in Liberia. It fielded candidates in the 11 October 2005 elections.LERP candidate Joseph Korto won 3.3% of the vote in the presidential poll. The party failed to win any seats in the Senate or House of Representatives.The party was disqualified...
(LERP). Joseph Korto was born in Barpa, Nimba County
Nimba County
Nimba is a county in the north-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has six districts. Sanniquellie serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the largest in the nation...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. He is currently serving as Minister of Education in Liberia and as the Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Liberian Development Foundation
Liberian Development Foundation
The Liberian Development Foundation , is a 501 non-profit tax-exempt organization whose mission is to assist in the creation and funding of socio-economic and human development programs in Liberia.- History :...
.
Running as the LERP (Liberian Equal Rights Party) presidential candidate in the 11 October 2005 elections
Liberian elections, 2005
The 2005 Liberian general election was held on 11 October 2005, with a runoff election for the presidency held on 8 November of that year. The presidency, as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and Senate were up for election. The election marked the end of the political transition...
, Korto placed seventh out of 22 candidates, receiving 3.3% of the vote nationally and the highest vote total in Nimba County, his home base.
After his loss in the first round of voting, he endorsed candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for the second round vote against football star George Weah
George Weah
George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah is a Liberian humanitarian and politician, and an ex-footballer. He ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting...
. Johnson-Sirleaf went on to win the election, with Korto's support being viewed as an important factor in her victory, and she appointed Korto to her cabinet as Minister of Education shortly after she took office in January 2006. Korto has a background as a teacher and holds a doctorate in education from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.