Construction on the abandoned $40 million Fiji National University Naiyaca Campus in Labasa is expected to resume next year.

University Vice Chancellor Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba confirmed this after the University ended its contract with the previous builder in 2022 due to slow progress.

This time, she says FNU is committed to reviewing legal processes and improving accountability and governance to avoid past mistakes that led to the project’s halt.

“We’re trying to make sure that the mistakes of the past, the past leaderships, are not repeated, because that’s a lot of taxpayer money that the last leaderships have wasted. We cannot afford that. Now, the leadership is local, and we are very careful that every cent is accounted for properly. We’ve got to be very careful that every cent is accounted for properly.”

Professor Nabobo-Baba has set a target to complete the campus by 2026.

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro states that the previous contractor contributed to the delays.

He emphasized the need for council members to compile a report on the project’s status under the last contractor.

In addition to the Naiyaca Campus, FNU plans to develop centers in Bua, Savusavu and Taveuni which will offer Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and higher education programs.