Appearing before the Appointments Committee of parliament on Tuesday, Baffour Awuah said some of the CEOs were asked to leave because they engaged in partisan politics during the John Mahama-led administration; a situation he believes will affect their work in the current administration.

"If you would go all the way to support that particular party, then perhaps you would have missed the point. So much as we would advise the appointees to be apolitical as possible, then we would also have to advise whoever is appointed there not to meddle in partisan politics," Mr Awuah said.

READ ALSO: Top management staff of COCOBOD asked to proceed on leave

The Nana Addo-led government recently asked 11 top management staff of COCOBOD to proceed on leave with effect from Monday 30th January 2017.

They included the Deputy Chief Executive – Agronomy and Quality Control, Deputy Chief Executive – Finance and Administration,  Deputy Chief Executive -Operations, Director – Human Resource, Director Civil Works, Deputy Director Civil Works, Procurement Manager, Director of Estates and the Deputy Director Finance.

READ ALSO: Bawumia pays surprise visit to GPHA

Some top staff members of Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC); a subsidiary of COCOBOD, were also asked to proceed on leave.

They include CMC’s Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director and Deputy Director Finance.

President Nana Akufo-Addo dismissed the Chief Executive of Cocobod  Dr Stephen Opuni barely 3 weeks ago.

Some Ghanaians have since raised concerns with the manner in which the appointments of some public officials were terminated by the new government.

But Mr Awuah insists that the government has the right to bring on board people he would feel comfortable working with.