Hawzah News Agency - (Beirut - Lebanon) - Lebanese Economy Minister Raoul Nehme on Wednesday responded to an offer announced by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to recruit volunteers to help the ministry in monitoring the prices of commodities.

“I cannot assemble an army, but I welcome any volunteer with a Lebanese identity, regardless of his affiliation,” Al-Joumhouria daily quoted Nehme.

Earlier on Monday, Nasrallah had stated “readiness to recruit 10,000 volunteers to help the ministry of economy monitor the prices of goods and commodities.”

Nehme stated that the Ministry requested help in order to be able to monitor prices around all Lebanese regions, taking into consideration the limited ministry staff available for this mission.

“I have asked for help from the municipalities in controlling prices and imposing fines, mainly that they have more jurisdictions than the Ministry of Economy,” said Nehme.

“At present we are coordinating efforts with the ministries of industry and agriculture, and with the Central Bank of Lebanon to secure support for the import of basic materials, as being discussed,” he added.

Prices have risen by 55 percent in Lebanon, as the citizens are railing against a sharp devaluation of the pound and rocketing inflation, amid the coronavirus pandemic that worsened its already stricken economy.