Sainimili Magimagi 
The Ministry of Housing has officially launched its new digital platform aimed at improving the processing of first-home ownership assistance.
The new system drastically reduces the turnaround time for applications, from over 60 working days to just 10 working days.
Minister Maciu Naulumisa says the transition from a paper-based process to a centralized digital portal marks a significant step in streamlining hous-ing assistance for ordinary Fijians.
Naulumisa says the platform eliminates the risk of misplaced documents and improves efficiency by allowing both the ministry and financial institu-tions to access and process applications through a single portal.
The minister acknowledged the support of the Australian government through the Vuvale Partnership, which helped bring the innovative digitiza-tion initiative to life.
He highlighted that over 3,500 households have benefited from the First Home Ownership Assistance Programme since its inception in 2015.
Naulumisa says the ministry remains committed to delivering timely and accessible housing support, and the new digital platform will play a crucial role in ensuring that Fijians have a smoother path to home ownership.
The system is now accessible to financial institutions that are part of the program through their home loan services.
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