B737-800 Captain reported Ramp Personnel were in the Gate Safety Area while taxiing in. The Captain stopped until the Ramp Personnel exited the area. As The Captain began to taxi forward; the same Ramp Agent moved back into the Safety Area. Again; the Captain stopped taxiing and waited for the Ramp Agent moved; then continued to park at the gate.

Narrative

While taxiing into the gate; a Ramp Worker stood right next to where my nose gear would come to a halt. I stopped the airplane and shooed him out of the safety area. When I continued taxiing; he immediately stepped in front of the airplane again; prompting me to stop again. Eventually he stepped out of the safety area and I was able to taxi to our parking spot. This is the second time this has happened in ZZZ in the last two weeks and the fifth ASAP report I have filed about this behavior in the last 12 months. Equipment within the safety are; especially ladders and traffic cones stashed within the fuel cart box continue to be an issue in ZZZ as well.The Ramp Personnel is either not trained in safety protocols or has elected to ignore them. Replace the Manager who is in charge of the ramp; have a safety stand down with the Ramp Personnel and train everybody to Company safety standards. Offending Personnel must be removed because this is a safety issue which can lead to damage to equipment; injuries and loss of life.